Burstow backs bid to raise £15,000 for local respite care service

12.00.00am GMT Tue 6th Mar 2007

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has urged local residents to support the Weekend Break Appeal, which is seeking to raise £15,000 to continue its Saturday service at the Downs Day Hospital

Mr Burstow - who is Chair of the All Party Group on Older People - has campaigned for many years to improve care, research and drug availability for Alzheimer's sufferers. He is also a committed advocate on behalf of voluntary carers.

The appeal comes as a report from the Alzheimer's Society reveals that dementia costs the UK economy nearly £18 billion a year and that cases are set to rise by 154% to 1.7 million by 2051.

Commenting on the appeal, Paul Burstow MP said:

"Alzheimer's is a disease which affects not only for the sufferer, but those that care for them as well."

"I've met many carers in recent years who want to care for their loved ones at home, but who need a break once in a while."

"The Weekend Break service provides that day of respite which carers so desperately need to go on caring for their relatives."

"In the light of the evidence of the increasing prevalence and cost of Alzheimer's it is vital that we work together as a community to safeguard services such as this, which enable relatives to continue to care for sufferers."