Dementia friendly communities articles and case studies

York

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is leading on a programme called Dementia Without Walls.  The ultimate aim of the programme is that the UK will be a good place for people with dementia to live.  To do this, the project aims to challenge attitudes, understand behaviours around dementia which reinforce stigma, isolation and exclusion. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has recognised the need to inspire local communities, organisations and businesses to become more aware and understanding of dementia, and more inclusive.  The project comprises three strands:

• To empower people with dementia by giving them a stronger, collective voice and the confidence to influence attitudes and policies;
• To create dementia friendly communities by supporting York and Bradford's ambitions to become dementia friendly.
• To think differently about dementia by bringing people together to think more deeply about our understanding of dementia.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is also looking to be recognised as leading the UK as a dementia friendly employer.  The Joseph Rowntree Foundation will launch a report on the Dementia Without Walls programme in September.

Plymouth

Researchers at Plymouth University found through interviews that people with dementia felt that Plymouth could be a better place to live for people with dementia if everyday tasks were made easier.  From this, a small planning team got together. Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance (PDAA) is working with a wide variety of organisations in and around the town.  This includes Dartmouth Rescue Team, Plymouth Council and Plymouth Raiders Basketball team.  As there is a big naval base in Plymouth, the PDAA has provided dementia awareness sessions with members of the family service and naval base staff.  The Naval Personal and Family Service (NPFS) has made it a priority to ensure that servicemen and women deployed on tours of duty are assured that their loved ones in need of care will be given the support that they require.  Dartmouth Rescue Team have developed a highly sophisticated method of tracking the whereabouts of people with dementia who wander and also provide guided walks for people with dementia and their family carers.

Bradford

Bradford has been working to become dementia friendly since 2011.  The local Alzheimer's Society has built links with eight organisations to do some individual work and develop good practice.  Small community organisations, as well as bigger organisations, are taking part in the pilot scheme, including a branch of Lloyds TSB, the Diocese of Bradford, Bolton Road Gurdwara and a local pharmacy.  Once organisations have committed to becoming dementia friendly, we will help them draw up an action plan, which includes details on what changes they want to make and how they intend to make the changes.  Bradford has purposely started on small-scale project so that they can learn what works and then role this out on a larger scale.  The next stage is to target one council ward which has a high proportion of older people.  Ward councillors and council officers will work with organisations in this one ward to support them in becoming dementia friendly. 

Torbay

Torbay Dementia Action Alliance already has over 120 shops, services, churches and organisations, including local councils and major supermarkets, who have signed up to show their support.  The Torbay Dementia Action Alliance aims to raise awareness of dementia by directly approaching businesses in the local area armed with information about dementia.  The Alliance asks the business or service to make sure that all staff read the information and provide contact details if staff do have any questions.  The Alliance follows up after a few weeks to check progress.

The Alliance has already had success stories.  For example, staff at the Wilkinson's store in Torquay noticed a shopper who became very confused and agitated.  As the staff had recently read leaflets from the Torbay Dementia Action Alliance, they recognised that the shopper could have dementia and remained patient while they calmed her down.  Eventually, the staff managed to gently persuade her to give them a phone number of a family member who came and took her home.