People will be able to find out about dementia and how to deal with it as part of a new programme in the borough.

Enfield Borough Council will host an event today at the Civic Centre to coincide with the national launch of the Dementia Manifesto for London which sets out how local authorities can create a dementia-friendly capital.

At the event, the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends scheme will aim to inform people about what it is like to live with the condition and how to act on it.

In Enfield approximately 3,050 people over 65-years-old are thought to have late-onset dementia and around 44 per cent of them have a formal diagnosis.

Cllr Don McGowan, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Health & Adult care said, “It is thought that one in three people over 65 will develop dementia. It is the biggest health concern among people over 55 – far greater than cancer, heart disease and stroke combined.

“It is estimated that the number of people with dementia will increase to around 4,000 in Enfield by 2030, a 44 per cent increase over 20 years.

“People who care for those with dementia also need support. Often close family members are involved. So the aim of a dementia–friendly borough is to help them as well.”

One of the key aims of the scheme will be to focus on promoting early diagnosis.