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Dementia Friendly Communities

People living with dementia face challenges to remain independent and engaged in their communities.

This requires others to understand those challenges and for policymakers, providers and commissioners to ensure they have opportunities to influence policies, facilities and services.

The resources listed below include good practice examples and suggestions about how the social and physical environment can be developed to support and include people living with dementia. The Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia has a champion group on dementia friendly communities. You can find detail of its work programme here (opens new window).

Creating Dementia-Ready Homes in West Yorkshire

Written by Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, this blog shares insights on the growing issue of dementia in the UK, where nearly a million people are affected

Improving the lives of those living with all forms of dementia

To close World Alzheimer’s Month, Wendy Wells, Head of Agency Managed, Policy and Business Implementation at The Guinness Partnership and Dementia Co-Lead at Housing LIN, shares the key projects they are running, and shine a light on the actions they have been taking to improve the lives of those living with all forms of dementia.

Housing and Dementia

September marks World Alzheimer’s Month, which aims to raise awareness and challenge stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia. Jeremy Porteus, Chief Executive of the Housing LIN shares his views on the importance of considering housing when supporting people living with dementia.

Retail therapy – Dementia and spending

This International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK) report, supported by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, finds that the UK economy could see a boost of around £948 million if we simply made our spending environments more inclusive to those living with dementia and other cognitive impairments.

Housing and Living Well with Dementia: from Policy to Practice in Greater Manchester

The lives of people living with dementia in Greater Manchester, alongside carers and loved ones, can be improved through better access to housing that reflects the changing needs and diversity of the population, according to the finding of this report.

Towards a dementia inclusive society: WHO toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives

The toolkit provides practical guidance and tools that can support efforts, including planning and implementation activities, to create dementia-inclusive societies.

“It Is Part of Belonging”: Walking Groups to Promote Social Health amongst People Living with Dementia

This article in Cogitatio thematic journal, Home, Housing and Communities: Foundations for Inclusive Society, by the University of Stirling, shows that people with dementia often report experiencing a ‘shrinking world’ connected with reduced opportunities to access physical and social spaces. The article considers how inclusive walking groups can facilitate access to places and spaces to support people with dementia to remain connected in their communities.

Dementia-friendly rural communities guide

This guide from the Alzheimer's Society is designed to help all types of rural communities increase awareness of dementia and become more dementia-friendly.

Dementia and Town Planning: Creating better environments for people living with dementia

This Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has updated its practice advice, endorsed by Alzheimer's UK and Public Health England and published to mark World Alzheimer's Day 2020. It sets out different approaches and tools town planners can use to ensure homes and local environments are dementia-friendly and highlights the vital role that town planning plays in dementia care in the UK, helping to reduce pressure on the NHS and controlling the costs for health and social care.

Beyond The Front Door: What 'home' means to people with dementia and their carers

In the Prime Ministers Challenge on Dementia 2020 Implementation Plan, there is a commitment that the Department of Health (DH) will work closely with the Life Story Network (LSN) to focus on older people...

The importance of a dementia friendly community

This short video by NHS England about how important becoming a dementia inclusive community is for dementia patients and carers.

Mapping dementia-friendly communities across Europe

This study was commissioned by the European Foundations' Initiative on Dementia and was written by Toby Williamson of the Mental health Foundation. Its aim was to gather information about the so called...

Code of practice for the recognition of dementia-friendly communities in England

This code of practice from the British Standards Institute and Alzheimer's Society aims to help support existing communities and to inspire more areas to get involved in the development of dementia-friendly...

How can and should UK society adjust to dementia?

This paper from the JRF will be of interest to those interested in the politics of disability and the application of the social model of disability to dementia. It challenges the assumptions about the...

Dementia friendly communities: Guidance for councils

This LGA report outlines the important role of councils in supporting people with dementia by creating local dementia friendly communities and demonstrates how councils are making this happen through...

Developing a national user movement of people with dementia - learning from the dementia engagement and empowerment project

This paper from the JRF points out that while the voices of people with dementia are increasingly heard, the user movement is still in its infancy. By connecting local groups and individual activists...

On the journey to becoming a dementia friendly organisation - sharing the learning for employers and organisations

This paper from the JRF highlights that a lack of understanding or confidence can prevent organisations and employers from responding positively to people affected by dementia. Organisations that are...

How can we make our cities dementia friendly? Sharing the learning from Bradford and York

Dementia friendly communities (DFCs) aim to be accessible, inclusive, welcoming and supportive to those affected by dementia. This enables them to contribute to, and participate in, mainstream society....

Evaluation of the York Dementia Friendly Communities Programme

This report from the JRF assesses UK and international evidence on local approaches linking people in poverty to jobs. Themes examined include information, advice and guidance; training and skills; employer...

Evaluation of the Bradford Dementia Friendly Communities Programme

This evaluation of the Bradford Dementia Friendly Communities Programme by the JRF was carried out to help determine how the development of and support for dementia friendly communities can be enhanced...

North East Dementia Friendly Communities Resource Guide

Involving local communities in meeting the spiritual needs of people with dementia across care settings in the North East This joint publication by Northumbria University and North East Dementia Alliance...

Working with smaller housing organisations to create dementia friendly organisations

This guide by Orbit Charitable Trust is primarily aimed at small housing associations, but equally useful for all housing providers. It looks at how social landlords can work with care, charity and community...

Dementia - A state of the nation report on dementia care and support in England

This new report from the Department of Health highlights the variability of the state of dementia care and support in England. Whilst not housing specific, there is a useful section on the work being...

Building dementia-friendly communities: A priority for everyone

The Alzheimer's Society launched this key report last week setting out 10 priority areas that communities can focus on to work towards becoming dementia-friendly. In particular, it explores the barriers...

The Debenham Project - At a Glance

Dementia - Caring for the carers. This is a community-led registered charity providing holistic, personalised support to family carers of people with dementia and those they care for, using local...

Breaking new ground: the quest for dementia friendly communities

This Housing LIN Viewpoint no 25 - and it's accompanying checklist 'At a Glance' - examines current policy and practice in relation to delivering housing and neighbourhoods for people with dementia and...

Creating a dementia-friendly York

This report by the AESOP Consortium for the JRF considers how York can become a more dementia-friendly city. It: features thoughts on what York and other towns and cities might do to become dementia-friendly...

Knowing the foundations of dementia friendly communities for the North East

This paper draws on a range of evidence and policy areas to describe the features of dementia friendly communities, practical ways to develop them and includes examples of work within the North East...

Dementia Capable Communities - the views of people with dementia and their supporters

A short report by Innovations In Dementia summarising the views and experiences of people living with dementia about how easy it is to live independently in their local communities. Contains recommendations...