Understanding Dementia Friendly Communities

People with dementia are one of the most marginalised, socially excluded and highly stigmatised groups in society. It has been identified that exclusion from communities is all too frequently a consequence of dementia because the person often experiences reduced ability to follow the normal rules of social engagement.

In order to address the exclusion of people living with dementia, a new initiative has emerged on the landscape in the form of Dementia Friendly Communities. Essentially, the initiative is about transforming our villages, towns, cities and counties into better places to live for people with dementia.

What is the vision for Dementia Friendly Communities?

The overall vision is to reconfigure the communities that we all live in and mainstream dementia into everyday life of that community.  The vision is to involve all the stakeholders and members of the community to be dementia friendly.

What are the key objectives for Dementia Friendly Communities?

• Identify the key partners, services, activities and businesses within any given community to develop a local map of ‘the people and the place
• Engage with the key stakeholders by increasing their knowledge and understanding of dementia to ensure that it becomes part of the local agenda
• Challenge the stigma, myths and misconceptions around dementia by opening the channels of communication and removing the barriers to change
• Work with local services and businesses to make the community a dynamic and friendly place for people with dementia, their carers, families and friends to live and work in
• Work together to increase the opportunity for people with dementia and their carers to remain engaged in their chosen activities of life for as long as they wish to

Click here to view the the summary concept paper on Dementia Friendly Communities, October 2011.