Raising dementia awareness

By Matthew

COMMONWEALTH GAMES star Adelle

Tracey is running her own race off the track to help people learn more about dementia and living with the condition.

Dementia is a growing healthcrisis; there are an estimated 944,000 people living in the UK with the condition and that is set to rise to more than one million by 2025 – the condition is one of the leading cause of death in the UK.

Adelle has been affected by the condition personally and has partnered with specialist nursing charity Dementia UK to spread awareness about the realities of living with the condition and the support available!

The charity has launched the campaign I Live with Dementia to help people in the UK during one of its busiest times of the year. Lifestyle spoke with Adelle about her experience with the condition and how people can get involved with the charity.

MC: Why is this so important for you?

AT: 2019 had been a bit of an interesting year for me, and I really wanted to get involved in more things that I was passionate about. My grandmother was diagnosed with dementia, and she lived with dementia, before she passed away in 2016.

It’s just devastating to have somebody who you really care about really demise. We weren’t aware of the support that we could have accessed, so I hope that other families can just know what they are able to access.

MC: Do you hope to use your position and your platform within sport, to make others aware of the charity and dementia and opening up about it?

AT: Particularly with sport and exercise there is a massive link between being active and how that can reduce the stress and mental health side of things when you’re dealing with dementia.

When it comes to preventative measures as well, you can reduce the risk in certain ways by keeping active and I think that’s something that I really hope to instil through my role as a challenger brand ambassador.

It affects younger people too, and I think that needs to be a conversation. I did some research as well which showed people of colour are less likely to access resources when it comes to dementia support.

As a mixed Black woman, I hope that people from different groups will see that it’s something that can be accessed.

MC: What are some ways that people can support the charity and get involved?

AT: One of the things is getting active and taking on event Chal- lenge to raise vital funds and you can do that by just taking part in any activity, so that’s a really easy way to get involved.

Also coming along to the events that they offer, this is a free virtual event, so it is easy for a lot of people to access, because you can do it in the comfort of your own home.

It’s a real emotional rollercoaster, that’s something that

I know personally, and I know that there’s immense comfort that comes from that sense of community.

MC: What piece of advice would you offer people struggling at the moment?

AT: You can start by reaching out to Dementia UK and just seeing the services that they offer, and what you can access.

RACING TO HELP OTHERS: Adelle Tracey says she wanted to be more involved in things that she was passionate about (photo: Getty Images)

Educating yourself on what dementia means, and the ways that you can negate that are important to put your mind at rest, understanding is powerful.

If you need advice or support on living with dementia contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@ dementiauk.org.