RESIDENTS are being encouraged to become ‘Dementia friends’ during this week’s Dementia Awareness Week.

The programme, created by the Alzheimer’s Society, is designed to give people an understanding of what it is like to live with dementia and the small things everyone can do to make a difference to people living with the condition.

Dr Rita Robertson, Warrington’s director of public health, added: “It is possible to live well and independently with dementia for many years if you have a little help, understanding and kindness from people around you.

“That doesn’t just mean close friends and relatives, it means all of us learning to understand how we can help.”