In the days, months and years since my diagnosis I have enjoyed the unstinting support of the wonderful people from the Alzheimer's Society, without whom I would struggle to find useful and worthwhile things to occupy my demented life. The opportunity to play a small part in raising people's awareness of dementia and highlighting the work that the Alzheimer's Society does, is what keeps me going.
But here's a thought...
Whoever thought that "The Alzheimer's Society" was a good name for a charity that supports all people with dementia and their carers and families? It's a bit like calling a magazine that covers the whole car industry "The Austin Allegro Magazine"!
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. The Alzheimer's Society also helps people with:
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Lewy Body Dementia
Frontotemporal Dementia
Huntingdon's Disease
Korsakoff Syndrome
Parkinson's Disease
Vascular Dementia
Mixed Dementia
Posterior Cortical Atrophy
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
And more.
All of the above conditions fall under the umbrella term of "Dementia".
So it MUST have occured to those in the know at the Alzheimer's Society that the name of their organization doesn't accurately reflect the rainbow of conditions that they provide help and assistance with.
Why not sieze the opportunity provided by the change of CEO to emerge from this pandemic like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, with a new name and a fresh new identity. Retaining of course, all of the values and services which make the Alzheimer's Society the wonderful entity that it is today.
I'd love to know your thoughts on this. After all, it's easy for me to sit and muse. I don't underestimate the great cost and effort that a rebrand would take, but wouldn't it be worth it if the very name of the organisation more accurately reflects the works that it does? (and we wouldn't have to wrestle with that pesky apostrophe either).