Imagine losing your childhood memories, forgetting your spouse’s name, even your children.

Picture yourself getting to town but not remembering why you went there, or pondering what day of the week it is, or even what year.

These scary and distressing experiences are common among dementia patients — a disease as traumatic for relatives and friends as those suffering.

Residents are now being offered the chance to learn more about the condition and the help available for families.

A free presentation will be among a series of events held as part of Bermuda’s first Dementia Awareness Week.

Running from September 21-28, the initiative is being organised by local charity Action on Alzheimer’s and Dementia to coincide with World Alzheimer’s Day on September 21.

Founder Elizabeth Stewart estimated that between 900 and 1,000 people in Bermuda suffer from dementia.

“One of our concerns is how many people we don’t know about who are living in the community alone and haven’t had a diagnosis,” she said.

“There’s a big education process, many people don’t really understand what dementia is, they think it’s getting old, a natural part of ageing.

“It’s very distressing, I don’t think people can understand how bad it is until you’re faced with the disease.”

Ms Stewart said the condition affected people as early as their 40s and 50s, not just those in their late 60s and beyond.

“We had someone diagnosed at 40,” she said. “It took one woman eight years to get a diagnosis because she was in her 50s. She knew there was something wrong but wasn’t taken seriously enough. It’s a real disease with real implications.”

Ms Stewart said early diagnosis was essential as while there is no cure, there are ways to limit the progress of the disease and it is important for sufferers to plan ahead.

“You can live a good life with dementia but having a diagnosis is the first step — you can’t prepare or plan financially without that,” she said.

“There is a lot that can be done to keep your brain as active as possible.”

The term dementia is used to describe different brain disorders that affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International, but other causes include vascular disease.

Common symptoms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language and changes in personality.

“Like if they come to Hamilton and know they want to go to Gibbons but forget where it is, or why they came to town,” Ms Stewart said.

“People get suspicious someone has been in the house and things have gone missing, and people tend to withdraw a lot.

“They start to feel panicky if out and about, they want to be home a lot more.”

Ms Stewart said Bermuda has a support group for the relatives of patients that meets regularly, while patients themselves can take part in activities organised at WindReach and Peace Lutheran Church, such as music therapy.

“Everybody who comes to the activities loves it,” she said. “It’s massively successful.”

She launched Action on Alzheimer’s and Dementia in 2012 while caring for her mother, who sadly passed away that same year.

Her experiences with her late mother, and not knowing where to turn for help and advice, inspired her to try to help those in a similar situation.

“There’s a lot of burned-out caregivers, it’s a huge pressure,” she said. “It’s hard for a man to look at his wife and see all the things she used to do that she now can’t — it’s distressing to watch a person go downhill or forget you.

“People have to accept it’s not going to get better. There’s no magic pill, it’s going to get worse.

“The charity is trying to do a lot of public awareness.”

These efforts include a string of events for Dementia Awareness Week, the first a documentary screening on Monday, September 22.

The film, You’re Looking At Me Like I Live Here And I Don’t, was shot in a unit specifically for the care of Alzheimer’s patients and is a touching account of one woman’s experiences. It will be shown at BUEI’s Tradewinds Theatre, starting at 6.30pm. Tickets cost $10.

The following night will be a free public presentation about dementia at Tradewinds Theatre from 6-7.30pm, while on Friday, September 26, a rum-tasting fundraiser sponsored by Bacardi will be at Bermuda Society of Arts from 6-8.30pm. Tickets cost $50.

A second documentary about the healing power of music will be screened on Saturday, September 27.

Alive Inside, winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for US Documentary, follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the non-profit Music and Memory, as he demonstrates music’s ability to combat memory loss.

Mr Cohen will speak and answer questions after the movie. The screening is also at the Tradewinds Theatre, starting at 5pm, and tickets cost $20.

For tickets to any of the events or to attend the free presentation, e-mail alzbermuda@yahoo.com or call 707-0600.

Action on Alzheimer’s and Dementia urges families keen to attend the support group or in need of advice about caring for relatives, or who want a relative to attend the activity events, to e-mail them on alzbermuda@yahoo.com

Information about the disease and caring for patients can be found on their website, www.alzbermuda.com