Foundation criteria for the dementia-friendly communities recognition ...

Alzheimer's Society Response

Foundation criteria for the dementia-friendly communities recognition process

In partnership with

2014 -15

? Alzheimer's Society Devon House, 58 St Katharine's Way London E1W 1LB. Registered charity no.296645. A company limited by guarantee and

registered in England no 2115499. Alzheimer's Society operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1

Working to become dementia friendly: foundation criteria

All communities that register for the dementia-friendly communities' recognition process will be formally working towards meeting the foundation criteria for being dementia friendly. A community that registers for the recognition process is committing to taking each of the foundation criteria and interpret them from a local perspective to fit the size, type, stage of progression and resource, and describe what they are working towards and the actions they intend to take. The foundation criteria have been developed from feedback from a number of stakeholders and communities that are becoming dementia friendly to act as a basis from which to develop local plans and you will be expected to report back on progress against them.

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Criteria 1

Make sure you have the right local structure in place to maintain a sustainable dementia friendly community

Establishing a local structure is the key to the success and sustainability of creating a dementia-friendly community. A Local Dementia Action Alliance (or similar group1) is the recommended model for this as it enables you to bring together individuals and organisations with shared aims to help the community to become more dementia friendly.

A Local Dementia Action Alliance is a collection of stakeholders brought together to improve the lives of people with dementia in their area. They will usually include police forces, fire and rescue services, retailers, local authorities, local transport providers, charities, community groups, businesses, care providers, health trusts, and people living with dementia and their carers.

As part of their involvement in a Local Dementia Action Alliance, organisations sign up to the National Dementia Declaration (aligned to the dementia-friendly communities recognition process) and create short action plans setting out what actions they will take to help their community become more dementia friendly.

Example 1: South Lincolnshire Dementia Action Alliance

The South Lincolnshire Dementia Action Alliance was set up in July 2012 and officially launched in October 2012. The local alliance is made up of a range of organisations including voluntary sector organisations, community sector organisations, private businesses and local authorities. The South Lincolnshire Dementia Action Alliance members are not only working towards actions set out in their organisational action plan but are also working as a collective to ensure South Lincolnshire is working towards becoming a dementia-friendly community.

Example 2: York Dementia Action Alliance

Since June 2011 the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in York has supported an action research project called Dementia Without Walls. The researchers worked with local

1 The similar group must have terms of reference and members publicly commit to and fulfill actions to support people with dementia and those who care for them.

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people with dementia and their carers and families to find out what living in York means to them and in particular what makes life good and what makes it more difficult.

The project focused particularly on people who live with dementia in their own homes, either living alone or cared for by families and looked at how the wider resources of York, not just health and social care, can support them to manage and enrich their lives.

Across the wider community a range of diverse partners from business, statutory and voluntary organisations have supported the Dementia Without Walls project.

Much work has already been carried out, in particular around awareness and education. Following the forming of a steering group, and a wider network of committed supporters, the York Dementia Action Alliance was formed in summer 2013.

Example 3: Dementia-friendly parishes around the Yealm

It is not just cities and towns that are seeking to become dementia friendly. For example, five parishes around the River Yealm in South Devon have come together and committed to improve and change the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

To help deliver this innovative two-year project a co-ordinator has been employed in the Parishes of Brixton, Yealmpton, Wembury, Newton and Noss and Holbeton to develop dementia-friendly parishes. Some of the key aims of dementia-friendly parishes around the Yealm are to promote individual and community based activities for people with dementia and their carers and contribute to the development of sustainable inclusive social activities and services. Other aims include ensuring people with dementia and their families have a voice and are able to maintain and, where necessary, increase their social contacts within their local community.

Useful information

Guidance on how to form a Local Dementia Action Alliance can be found at .uk/local_alliances

If you would like more information about how to form a Local Dementia Action Alliance or to find out if a Local Action Alliance is already in place or being considered in your area, call 0207 423 5186, or email dementiaactionalliance@.uk

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 Joseph Rowntree Foundation has produced some information on their project in York .uk/sites/files/jrf/dementia-communities-york-summary.pdf

Criteria 2

Identify a person or people to take responsibility for driving forward the work to support your community to become dementia friendly and ensure that individuals, organisations and businesses are meeting their stated commitments

It is important to have a named local leader(s) or key contact who can take responsibility for driving forward the work to make your community dementia friendly. This should be determined locally but some examples include the chair of the Local Dementia Action Alliance, a councillor or a commissioner from the local authority, a member of the parish council or a local business leader.

Example 1: Nottinghamshire Dementia Action Alliance

Susannah Spencer is the Chair of the Nottinghamshire Local Dementia Action Alliance and has helped the local alliance develop its aims and terms of reference. Susannah is the Chief Operating Officer at C2L Care to Learn, a company providing learning and development support to the social care sector.

Example 2: Leicestershire Dementia Action Alliance

The Leicestershire Dementia Action Alliance is chaired jointly by Bev White from Leicester City Council and Lynne Woodward from Leicestershire police. The two chairs are working together to support the local alliance and to ensure it is working towards the aims outlined above and in the terms of reference

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