Insight 40 - Magazine - Page 7
status in June 2023, is growing fast and
gaining recognition.
In May, Hannah Say was presented with a
Highly Commended award in the LordLieutenant Entrepreneur Challenge after
profiling ‘Say it with a Smile’s’ important
work at the Hertfordshire County Show.
DEMENTIA IS LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
are now the leading cause of death
for both men and women in the UK
(1). Globally, dementia affects 50
million people (2). A lot of people think
dementia simply means memory loss,
but it affects people in lots of different
ways including changes in behaviour,
confusion, disorientation, difficulty in
communicating, and problems with
balance and movement.(3)
As with many diseases, the spouse,
partner or family members need nearly
as much support as the person with the
diagnosis. Dementia caregivers often talk
about high levels of stress, mental and
physical health problems, and burnout.
They also say they feel socially isolated.
BEING PART OF THE ‘SMILE FAMILY’
The priority for ‘Say it with a Smile’ is
to offer access to a social and support
network. Its team of volunteers welcomes
people to lively, engaging events and
social activities, making them part of a
community. They call it the ‘Smile family’.
“We organise regular afternoon tea and
musical entertainment. We take our
members on canal boat rides, invite them
to farm retreats, go on nature walks or
get them involved at our Smile allotment.
We’ve also just started a Smile Singers
Choir Programme”, says founder
Hannah Say.
All events focus on fun and social
stimulation, with opportunities for the
person diagnosed - and their carers - to
meet people in the same situation.
FUN AND ACTIVE SOCIAL
GET-TOGETHERS
The farm retreats in the beautiful
Hertfordshire countryside offer guests the
chance to enjoy music, exercise
and meditation exercises in the big barn,
try their hand at flower arranging, get a
tour of the farm’s tractors and take an
escorted walk through the surrounding
fields.
The bi-weekly Music Club offers afternoon
1. Office for National Statistics. 2. Office for National Statistics. 3. Alzheimers Research UK
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