MAKING TREORCHY A DEMENTIA FRIENDLY COMMUNITY

Too many people affected by dementia feel society fails to understand the condition they live with, its impact or how to interact with them. Thats why people with dementia sometimes feel the need to withdraw from their community as the condition progresses. Some feel cut off from society. This is not acceptable as people affected by dementia still have much to offer their community and if supported can still play an active and valuable role.

A dementia friendly community can be defined as a city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported and are confident they can contribute to community life. In a dementia friendly community people will be aware of and understand dementia and people with dementia will feel included and involved and have choice and control over their day-to-day lives.

People with dementia have described a dementia friendly community as one that enables them to:

Find their way around and be safe

Access the local facilities that they are used to and where they are known such as banks, shops, cafes, post offices and cinemas.

Maintain their social networks so they feel they continue to belong.

Dementia friendly communities are those in which people with dementia have the best possible opportunities to live well. Everyone can help make a dementia friendly community, from local councils, shops, business, churches, we all have a part to play in creating communities where people with dementia feel active, engaged and valued.

Rhondda Rotarys aim is to create a dementia friendly community in Treorchy to reduce challenges for people living with dementia and their carers in their everyday life, by establishing a local Dementia Action Steering Group with interested people. Involve people affected by dementia, invite them to join the group and hear their experiences and views. Identify what the priorities of the Steering Group should be and define aims and objectives and timescales. Engage with appropriate organisations in the town e.g., banks, shops, GP surgeries, schools and provide dementia awareness training before they can take dementia-friendly actions. Encourage local organisations to become dementia friends. Expand the activities of the local dementia café.

Planning of the project has commenced and it is hoped that its development will result in a far greater community awareness of those living with dementia and that the lives of those living with dementia can be improved by establishing a dementia friendly town. The Rhondda Rotary Walk for Dementia will help raise the awareness of the local community of the project and raise funding in the process.