Guidance published on establishing dementia-friendly communities

A number of leading health organisations and charities have collaborated to produce a ‘Code of practice’ for the purpose of making England’s towns and cities dementia-friendly.

Among those to lend their expertise to the publication of ‘PAS 1365’ are Age UK, the Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) and Public Health England, with BSI, the UK National Standards Body, overseeing the publication.

Anne Hayes, head of market development for governance at BSI, hopes that communities will take advantage of the new guidance available, saying: “The aim of dementia-friendly communities is to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers wherever they live. In local communities small changes are making a real difference, but these need to be rolled out on a wider scale. Following guidance such as PAS 1365 is a key step towards improving understanding and providing help to those who need it most.”

Key areas that community leaders need to focus on, in order to become dementia-friendly, include: establishing effective local structures; identifying responsible community leaders; raising awareness among key local organisations and businesses; and ensuring adults with dementia feel they have a voice.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, comments: “Life does not end when dementia begins. A dementia-friendly community is one in which people with dementia are empowered, and feel confident knowing they can contribute and participate in activities that are meaningful to them. This guidance will help more communities realise their ambition of becoming dementia-friendly. Awareness and local support are essential to allow those with the condition to continue to enjoy life, through activities as everyday as visiting the local shop or using the local leisure facilities.”

Organisations and businesses that contribute towards their community’s dementia-friendly credentials will be issued with a symbol to mark their contribution.