A TICKING time bomb — that was how guest speaker Angela Rippon described the steep rise in incidences of dementia when she spoke at the launch of the Tavistock Dementia Action Alliance in the town hall this week.

Miss Rippon, who is co-chair of the Government's Dementia Friendly Communities Committee, said the challenge was to bring dementia 'out of the shadows' and remove the perceived stigma attached to it.

'Dementia is such an undiscussed disease, we need to do some gentle social engineering and not be in denial about it,' said Miss Rippon.

She said her committee included representatives from banks, supermarket chains, fire brigades, the police, transport companies — 'all sorts of organisations' — and awareness of the problems of dementia sufferers, their carers, the symptoms of the disease and how to tackle it was having a 'trickle down benefit' through each organisation down to grass roots level.

Miss Rippon said: 'We have a three year remit — it's not going to happen overnight — but this social engineering has to change attitudes to dementia.'

She said the statistics relating to the rise in cases of dementia were frightening — one person in three had a connection to someone with dementia in some way.

Yet even within the health service, there was an equally frightening lack of knowledge, with nurses generally receiving just three hours training in cognitive illnesses during a three year degree course — a statistic which Miss Rippn said her committee was determined to change.

The good news was that pioneer schools — including Tavistock and Okehampton colleges — were now taking up the baton and including training in dementia awareness in their syllabuses.

It was through educating the next generation that the stigma attached to dementia would finally be eradicated, said Miss Rippon.

'I do believe that in three years, we will have 200 dementia-friendly communities.

'That time bomb is ticking away, but it's being attacked by the equivalent of bomb disposal units with the growth of these communities.

'I want to live in a society where dementia isn't attached to a stigma and where sufferers and their carers can live with the dignity they deserve,' Miss Rippon said.

The launch of the Tavistock Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) took place during Devon Senior Voice's fifth dementia awareness day, which included an information fair and a variety of speakers.

They ranged from consultants in old age psychatriary to those who offered support for carers.

June Wildman of Tavistock Memory Café said the fortnightly meetings of the café provided an opportunity for sufferers and their carers to get together in a social, non-threatening environment.

They arranged trips and outings and activities also provided an important support network for carers.

'Dementia is a horrible, horrible disease and anything we can do to help, we will,' said Mrs Wildman.

Tony Parker, chairman of Tavistock DAA, said the initiative to make Tavistock a dementia friendly town was basic and practical.

It would involve the creation of a simple training pack, and shops, clubs, organisations and businesses would be asked to sign up to the process.

He hoped that through this work, awareness could be raised and life could be made easier for sufferers and their carers.

For example, clear signage in shops, banks and public places, seating 'that looks like traditional seating' and the creation of an 'I'm not in a hurry' aisle in supermarkets, where customers would not become confused by being rushed and where staff could be trained to recognise the symptoms of dementia.

Mr Parker hoped through the 'three Cs' of communication, collaboration and community, dementia would no longer be the taboo disease that no-one talked about.

Anyone who would like to learn more about Tavistock Dementia Action Alliance should call Tony Parker on 01364 631507.