Alzheimer Scotland

Thank you to our incredible supporters! 🎉 We’re immensely grateful for the incredible generosity and support we've received from our amazing fundraisers throughout 2024. Whether you ran, walked, baked, cycled, bungee jumped, or found your own creative way to fundraise for us, every action you took has made a real difference! We rely on donations to provide vital care and support for people living with dementia in our mission to ensure nobody faces dementia alone, and to empower people to understand and maintain their brain health. So, a massive well done to you all and we can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.💜 Looking for a challenge in 2025? Take a look at our website 👉https://lnkd.in/e_YrG2ZT

After Alan retired, a spur of the moment decision led him on a 500-mile fundraising bike ride in memory of his mum Betty, who had Alzheimer's. Read Alan's full story 💜 👇

📢We have an exciting opportunity for a Post Diagnostic Support Link Worker to join the team in Nairn, part time. 📝Are you a creative and motivated individual with the passion and drive to support people with a recent diagnosis of dementia to live well in their community? If so, you can be part of a National Team of Post Diagnostic Support Link Workers (PDS Link Workers) providing high-quality, person-centred support to people living with dementia and their families for a minimum of a year following diagnosis in line the Scottish Government’s minimum guarantee. ✅Applicants must hold a recognised relevant professional qualification, have a good understanding of dementia and how it affects people and their families along with excellent communication skills, a warm flexible approach, combined with skills in empathy and relationship building. 🗓️ Closing date: 3 November 2024 Don't miss out on this opportunity. Find out more 👉https://bit.ly/4f6OblU

Alzheimer Scotland Trustee David McClements reflects on more than 30 years of campaigning and fundraising. 💜 Read David's full story 👇

Today, the Alzheimer’s drug donanemab has been licensed by the UK’s medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), for sale in Great Britain. However, draft guidance by NICE states the drug does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS. We now have two approved treatments for Alzheimer’s available in Britain, yet neither will be widely accessible to the people who need them. NICE has raised concerns that the cost of providing donanemab is too high, mainly due to the need for regular infusions and careful monitoring for potential side effects. While it’s clear that significant work is needed to develop the systems and infrastructure required to deliver these treatments effectively, we’ve known for years that these types of treatments were on the horizon. With more dementia drugs in development, it’s crucial that we don’t let a lack of NHS readiness stand in the way of getting these drugs to the people who need them. The NHS across the UK can – and must – do the work needed to open access to these treatments if vital progress is ever to be made. Read our full statement here – https://lnkd.in/dRuxNrHX

📢 Together with Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society, Dementia UK, and The Royal College of Psychiatrists, we are calling on the NHS to implement a national data collection system for newly licensed dementia drugs. Clinical trials are essential, but they often don’t represent the wider population. This means we don’t always know how effective these drugs will be for everyone, especially over the long term. As a result, it can be tough for bodies like NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Scottish Medicines Consortium to evaluate whether these treatments are worth their high costs for the health service and how they should best be delivered. A national data collection system would give us a clearer view of the benefits of new dementia drugs beyond what we learn in clinical trials. This data can help address concerns raised by NICE and guide how these treatments are used in the NHS. When focusing on preparation by the NHS for new dementia treatments, there is a need to prioritise data collection. With three dementia drugs currently being appraised and more on the horizon, leadership is needed now to ensure the system is ready to capture meaningful data from day one. Read more here - https://lnkd.in/eByHfK-H

The O'Mac construction team working at the Scaliscro Estate on the Isle of Lewis took part in our annual ‘Your Walk, Your Way’ Memory Walk. As well as raising funds for dementia, the team also felt the benefits of workplace volunteering which in turn helps to create a positive community impact every step of the way. Mark MacDonald, O’Mac Director said: “It’s vital that we support local organisations. Alzheimer Scotland is a fantastic charity making a huge difference to people’s lives. It’s great to see our workforce pulling together to support such a worthwhile cause.” Catriona MacRitchie, Commissioned Service Lead, Alzheimer Scotland (Western Isles) also commented on the achievement: “We are so grateful for the continued support of the team at O’Mac and for choosing to support Alzheimer Scotland’s Local Service in the Western Isles by taking part in ‘Your Walk, Your Way’ again this year.” A huge thank you to Mark Macdonald and the team and Nick Clarke (Scaliscro Estate) for choosing to support Alzheimer Scotland in this way. We would also like to thank Volunteer Centre Western Isles for leading and supporting the team with workplace volunteering. 💜

We recently shared the inspiring story of residents and staff from HC-One Scotland’s Murrayfield House Care Home who teamed up by taking part in their own 5k Memory Walk. With the aid of frames and wheelchairs, the residents – aged from 77 to 97 – walked around the care home’s gardens and along nearby Murrayfield Avenue, gathering donations in local shops along the way. Their goal was to raise vital funds to support dementia care, research and brain health. Margaret, 63, from the city’s Silverknowes area, has worked at Murrayfield House Care Home for five years. She said: “The residents and staff were keen to do the Memory Walk because so many of us have either had support from Alzheimer Scotland or have a loved one who has been affected by dementia. My late mum had vascular dementia so I’ve had first-hand experience of the impact this illness can have. The team smashed their original target of £300 and have raised £1,366! Massive well done to all involved. 💜 Lauren Heap, Centre Manager for Alzheimer Scotland’s Edinburgh and West Lothian Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre, said: “Alzheimer Scotland is proud to support people living with dementia and their families and carers, from our centre here in Edinburgh. Scotland’s Memory Walk has always had a wonderful ability to bring people together. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the lives of people with dementia and walk to remember them. Every pound raised helps Alzheimer Scotland continue to develop and deliver vital dementia support.” Emma Russell, Fundraising an Engagement Coordinator at Alzheimer Scotland said “It was my absolute pleasure to meet and directly thank some of the Murrayfield House Care Home team including Wellbeing Coordinators Margaret Finch, Norma Mackie and Manager Fiona Truesdale alongside the wonderful residents. It was truly inspiring to hear how together they achieved raising a magnificent £1,366 by undertaking their own Memory Walk 5k challenge. Massive well done to all involved. Every penny raised helps support Alzheimer Scotland to ensure that nobody faces dementia alone.”

📢We have an exciting opportunity for a Centre Manager to join the team in Perth. 📝The Centre Manager will lead and manage a team providing Alzheimer Scotland’s programme of support for people concerned about their brain health or affected by dementia. The Centre Manager will be key to the successful delivery of Alzheimer Scotland’s vision to develop a programme of brain health and dementia support at identified centres across Scotland. ✅Centre Managers are required to have a warm, flexible approach, as well as skills in empathy and relationship building. We are looking for someone who has strong networking skills and experience of collaborating and developing partnerships both internally and externally. Don't miss out on this opportunity. Find out more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYS52nkm 🗓️ Closing date: 20 October 2024

Twenty-nine wonderful fundraisers donned their walking boots, when Alzheimer Scotland’s Memory Walk returned to Stornoway. Taking the scenic route from Porters Lodge to Cuddy Point and back through the Stornoway Castle Grounds. Walking together in memory of, and in support of, loved ones currently living with dementia, each step helped raise awareness and vital funds, with a total of £605.42 being raised! 💜 A few of the participants shared their thoughts on the walk. Janette and her family said, "It was lovely to see so many people, young and old, out walking in support of Alzheimer Scotland, who do a fantastic job. A truly memorable walk." Angela, Nicola & Natalie, who took part, said, "We as a family have experienced the Alzheimer’s journey with a loved one. Because of this, it is important to us that we raise awareness for and support Alzheimer Scotland. We value the work that they do for those living with all types of dementia and their support networks.” We’d like to say a huge thank you to all who took part, donated, and supported the event on the day, including Stornoway Golf Club and the Stornoway Coastguard Team. Are you living with dementia, caring for someone with dementia, or worried about your memory in the Western Isles? You can contact the local team at westernisles@alzscot.org or phone 01851 702 123. ☎️