What has cricket got to do with Dementia?
Carers Support West Sussex have developed a short film tackling some of the taboos surrounding dementia and follows the story of Neel, who cares for his uncle who lives with dementia.
The film was funded by the Dementia Trust and co-produced with carers from South Asian backgrounds in the Crawley area and inspired by their stories. In some communities there is an element of stigma or shame around certain diagnosis including dementia. There may be language barriers which can cause problems with diagnosis and in some languages the word dementia is not translatable
We feel strongly that no-one should care alone and worked with Crawley Film Initiative to produce this emotive short film.
The focus of the story is how finding a meaningful way to connect with someone living with dementia or with memory problems can improve their wellbeing. The story evolves to show how cricket became the connection between carer and person cared for, with Neel setting a challenge for his uncle to hit one six. Does he achieve it? You will have to watch the film to find out.
“I thought the film expertly portrayed some of the difficulties that can be encountered with dementia but how people’s lives can be enhanced if you can ‘tap into’ their particular interests, or skills they once had.” Gill Coban, Crawley Museum
It is estimated that 1 in 3 people born today, will develop dementia. And 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in West Sussex alone.
3% of people in the UK with dementia are from ethnically diverse backgrounds – around 25,000 people. This number is expected to double by 2026 with the steepest increase expected in South Asian communities.
Many family members just accept this unpaid caring role as their duty to their family but there is support out there if you look after someone who could not manage without your help. Contact Carers Support West Sussex today on 0300 028 8888.
We would like to thank The Dementia Trust for funding this project and West Green Community Cinema, Crawley for hosting the premiere screening.
Only One Six – A Dementia Disruption Film
