Bath-based housing and support organisation Curo has pledged its support to a national campaign aimed at boosting the fight against dementia.
Curo signed up to ‘Join Dementia Research’ at a special event held at the Curo Memory Café in Peasedown St John yesterday. 
Join Dementia Research is asking people to take part in vital research into Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
Curo Dementia Challenge rural coordinator Peta Rahmatalla said: “Over 2,600 people in Bath & North East Somerset have dementia today and nationally it’s predicted that the number of people affected could double over the next 30 years. Research is the key to understanding the causes and developing better treatments and care.
“We hope that by adding our support to this important campaign, we can encourage local people to see how they could help by taking part in research.”
Join Dementia Research project officer Charlotte Procter was at the event explaining how people and organisations can take part.
She said: “Join Dementia Research is a new NHS service which allows anyone over the age of 18, with or without dementia, to register their interest in research. We need more people to come forward to get involved in vital studies.
“Getting involved is easy. Once an individual has registered, they may be matched to research studies that they might like to take part in. There are various different types of studies such as nutrition, lifestyle, genetics and medication studies. Taking part in research is voluntary and if a person registers they are under no obligation to take part.”
Curo’s Memory Café meets at the community room at 93 Hillcrest, Peasedown St John BA2 8JR on the last Thursday of every month between 10.30am and noon. The café is free for anyone, whether they have memory problems themselves or are caring for someone else.
The monthly Memory Café is part of Curo’s rural dementia service which provides practical and emotional support to people affected by memory loss across Bath & North East Somerset.
Curo’s service focuses on isolated communities where support has been lacking in the past. The service is supported by the national Dementia Challenge Fund.
Curo, a not-for-profit housing and support organisation, provides affordable homes and high-quality care and support services across the West of England. It manages nearly 13,000 homes.
For information about Curo’s Memory Café, or to speak to someone about getting support to live independently, call 01225 366196 or visit www.curo-group.co.uk/care-and-support.
To find out more about taking part in Join Dementia Research visit www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk or phone 0300 2221122.
