Sent on behalf of Henry Simmons, Chief Executive, Alzheimer Scotland

Dear Anne, Supporting Scotlands 88,000 people with dementia, their families, carers and friends I am writing to you to ask you to commit to supporting people with dementia, their families and carers, if you are elected as one of Scotlands MEPs. hrough your engagement with the communities you seek to represent in the European Parliament, you will know that more and more people in Scotland are affected !y dementia. "",### Scots are li$ing with the one form of the condition or another, though many of them are not yet diagnosed. hese "",### people ha$e hus!ands, wi$es, children, families and friends whose li$es are also profoundly affected !y the impact that dementia has on the person they are close to. Al%heimer Scotland is asking you, on !ehalf of these thousands of Scottish people, to &oin MEPs and candidates from across the European 'nion to commit to working together to support the growing num!ers of people affected !y dementia. Can you pledge to:

Join the European Alzheimers Alliance the group of !E"s wor#ing in the European "arliament to ma#e dementia a European priority$ Support greater European colla%oration on dementia and ensure dementia is recognised as a priority in the European &nions pu%lic health and research acti'ities$ (or# with Alzheimer Scotland and support people with dementia in Scotland)

Please send us a (uick reply to this email, call us on #)*) +,* ),-* or tweet us at .al%scot to let us know that you are !acking the thousands of people in Scotland who are affected !y dementia !y supporting this pledge. 'nless you tell us otherwise, Al%heimer Scotland and Al%heimer Europe will pu!licise your support to encourage others to do the same. /urther information is pro$ided !elow a!out dementia in Europe and the European Al%heimers Alliance. /or more information a!out dementia in Scotland and the work of Al%heimer Scotland, ha$e a look at our we!site www.al%scot.org or get in touch with our policy team using one of the methods a!o$e.

hanks in ad$ance for your support. 0y working together, we can make sure that no!ody faces dementia alone. 1ours,

2enry Simmons 3hief E4ecuti$e Al%heimer Scotland

*ementia in Europe oday, close to " million Europeans ha$e dementia, Al%heimers disease !eing the most common form of dementia. In addition, close to +, million informal carers are directly impacted !y the disease. Al%heimers disease and other forms of dementia are the most common of neurodegenerati$e diseases. Although it primarily affects elderly people, an increasing num!er of early5onset dementia 6!elow the age of 7#8 can !e o!ser$ed. o5date, no curati$e treatment e4ists. Access to ser$ices, treatment and support is une(ual !etween E' Mem!er States. he ageing of the population and the uncertainty around the sustaina!ility of healthcare ser$ices impose upon us that timely, tailored and coordinated actions are taken to address these challenges and ensure European citi%ens ha$e access to the care and support they need.

+he European Alzheimers Alliance he European Al%heimer9s Alliance was set up in the European Parliament in +##:. It is a non5e4clusi$e, multinational and cross5party group which !rings together Mem!ers of the European Parliament committed to support Al%heimer Europe and its mem!ers to make dementia a pu!lic health priority in Europe. he Alliance9s mission is to foster concerted action at European and national le$el in the field of pre$ention, diagnosis and treatment of Al%heimer9s disease, research and social policies and influence the political agenda. Achie'ements: o$er the years, thanks to the colla!orati$e work of Al%heimer Europe, national Al%heimer associations and Alliance mem!ers, dementia has !een addressed !y

A;3<=E 6European >oint Action on Dementia8 and the European research programmes 6/P: and 2ori%on +#+#.8 European and international cooperation in research has emerged with the Inno$ati$e Medicines Initiati$es 6IMI and IMI +8 and the >oint Programming of ?eurodegenerati$e research 6>P?D8. At national le$el, )" Mem!er States ha$e a dementia strategy in place while others are in the process of de$eloping one.