WHO Global Action on Dementia - An open goal?

Tony Jameson-Allen, co-founding director of the Sporting Memories Network, blogs about this week's Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia hosted by the WHO and the role sport can play to help tackle the problem.

On the 16 and 17 March 2015, the World Health Organisation will be hosting its first Ministerial Conference on Global Action Against Dementia. Ministers from around the world, as well as experts from the research, clinical and NGO communities, will meet in Geneva for the first time to discuss the global problems posed by dementia. This follows the high profile meetings of G7 countries in 2014 who, according to our Prime Minister, have come together to ‘wage a war’ on dementia.

Much has been written about the socio-economic ‘burden’ dementia poses and estimated prevalence figures vary greatly with world-wide numbers ranging from 35 million currently living with the disease to predictions of 135.5 million by 2050. So what are the must know WHO Key facts about dementia?

•tDementia is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities.
•tAlthough dementia mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of ageing.
•tWorldwide, 47.5 million people have dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases every year.
•tAlzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and may contribute to 60–70% of cases.
•tDementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide.
•tDementia has physical, psychological, social and economical impact on caregivers, families and society.

World Health Organisation 2015

Clearly if these numbers prove accurate then not only is it imperative that there is significant investment into research to find cures for as many as possible of the 100 different types of dementia that exist, but also we find new ways of assisting those with the disease to live well with dementia and to maximise work on prevention.

Risk Factors and Prevention

Given the huge prevalence globally and the ‘threat’ dementia poses to health and social care economies, it is somewhat surprising so little is really known about the risk factors associated with dementia – WHO state that research identifying modifiable risk factors of dementia is scarce. Prevention focuses on targets suggested by available evidence, which include countering risk factors for vascular disease, such as diabetes, midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. Throw into the mix additional factors including social isolation, loneliness and a history of depression and you have a pretty long list of ‘issues’ that provide a seemingly huge challenge to engage the public in modifying their behaviours and engaging in action to make healthy lifestyle choices.

But look at that list again – promote vascular health, encourage physical activity, increase socialisation, improve mental health- all familiar goals for most organisations delivering sport and leisure services. County Sports Partnerships, Community Foundations, Sport & Education Trusts deliver local programmes commissioned to focus on those very elements. It’s the focus of our work in city and county wide collaborative partnerships in engaging people over the age of 50.

Sporting Memories Network

The support from the world of sport for the Sporting Memories Network and the appetite of local commissioners and local communities for collaborative projects in partnership with the network continues to grow apace. In 2014 Sporting Memories Network was awarded Best National Dementia Friendly Initiative, appeared in Nesta’s 50 New Radicals and picked up the award for Best Football Community Scheme in the Football Business Awards. These awards were just reward for the fantastic support of volunteers helping run our groups, but also perhaps flagged up an opportunity about helping people to live well with dementia and to begin to addressing the prevention agenda that local commissioners immediately grasped.

2015 has seen funding from Spirit of 2012 Trust, England Rugby, the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association, CCG’s, Health & Wellbeing boards and local Public Health Teams to establish new inter-generational Sporting Memories Network projects and groups. Commissioners have recognised the opportunities the projects present in terms of reaching out to isolated or lonely older people, particularly older men, providing enjoyable, social activities that combine elements that promote conversation, mental stimulation and physical exercise. New friendships are made and peer support is a key element of the projects, that increasingly include work across generations.

In Scotland, thanks to the Life Changes Trust Dementia Programme, we are now able to begin work to establish 55 new weekly sporting memories groups across Scotland's central belt. Working in partnership with older people who are living with dementia, their carers and peers, the weekly groups will be hosted by libraries, sheltered homes, sports clubs and community centres.

We hope that 2015 will be the year the Government begin to look at innovative solutions to tackling the major challenges highlighted by the World Health Organisation around dementia and recognise the role Sporting Memories Network and the 300 organisations we’ve had the pleasure of working with can play in tackling dementia.

Sporting Memories Network is a social enterprise which is working with sports clubs, regional and local sports organisations, councils, the NHS and the third sector across the UK to tap into the passion for sport – to connect with older people, particularly those living with dementia, depression and those at risk of social isolation.

Tony Jameson-Allen
Co-founder
Sporting Memories Network
www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com

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