41106459/VB

Exploring Dementia Friendly Communities

Avril DooleyGrassroots Coordinator

The Alzheimer Society of IrelandOctober 25th 2012

Take a moment to think about...

• What does the word community mean to a person with dementia?

• Where do people with dementia meet in their community?

• How do people with dementia engage in their community?

• Who does the person with dementia engage with in their community?

• Why does the meaning of community change when a person receives a diagnosis of dementia?

What do Dementia Friendly Communities

(DFC) mean to the Person with Dementia?

What People with Dementia told us....

Every day I go for a walk and a coffee is good.

Routine is important.

I have good neighbours that drop in for a chat and check

in with me.

I stay positive because I made a decision to

keep a positive attitude.

Tell people

you have dementia, they want to know

I was told to stop everything, told to

stop doing the things I liked.

You lose confidence

It is hard at times because of the things you can no longer do.

You definitely feel different.

I took a step back when I received the

diagnosis – I felt unsure about my

ability.

Why do we need DFC?

• Address the social exclusion and stigma of dementia

• People with dementia and their families have reported that their world shrinks when a diagnosis is received

• People and communities avoid dementia because they do not know how to respond

• We must work at removing the barriers for people to participate in their community

What do we mean by DFC?

DFC are about transforming our villages, towns, cities and communities into better places to live for people with dementia

It is not about setting up ‘new’ services, but instead supporting the existing community to become dementia friendly and inclusive

Key Activities of Dementia Friendly

Communities1. Developing educational and awareness tools for

key people living and working in the community2. Volunteering - Develop a buddy system for people

living with dementia using community volunteers3. Creating appropriate environmental factors by

removing barriers for people with dementia4. Enabling the engagement of people with dementia

and their families in their communities

“Must haves” of Dementia Friendly

CommunitiesCommunity development approach Direct engagement of people with

dementia and their familiesEquity of approachPartnership

Where are we now?

Community Action on Dementia in Mayo Launch 2012

Genio Projects

Dementia Aware Donegal

Other areas interested in DFC

Kilkenny

Clare

South Dublin

Sligo

Social Clubs

The Alzheimer Café

Dun Laoghaire RathdownSocial Inclusion Week

Where to from here.... The Future for DFC

Build the appropriate structures led by The Alzheimer Society of Ireland in partnership with the

relevant stakeholders

Continue to promote the development of community

supports for people with dementia and their carers

Share the learning from

other Dementia Friendly

Communities projects

Develop a toolkit of guidelines on how to develop

Dementia Friendly Communities

Thank You!

For More Information:www.alzheimer.ie

Avril Dooleyadooley@alzheimer.ie

01 2073802