Dementia Friendly Communities - Alzheimer Guild Of Ireland
It is widely known as well as widely accepted that people amongst dementia sense social exclusion inwards many dissimilar ways, at dissimilar times as well as dissimilar levels.
Firstly, nosotros occupation the occupation the thoughts of a mortal amongst dementia imagining a Dementia Friendly Communities every bit our electrical flow Definition which is
“An integrated monastic country where people amongst dementia alive inwards “normal” habitation similar situations throughout their lives amongst back upwards to move along to engaging inwards everyday community activities”.The most of import discussion inwards this Definition is normal, our vision is that people amongst dementia volition endure facilitated past times their community to move along to alive inwards their community but too to adjust to the changes that a diagnosis of dementia tin bring.
An essential chemical factor of Dementia Friendly Communities is the inclusion of the mortal amongst dementia inwards their community as well as their involvement amongst onetime as well as novel networks. So what hit nosotros hateful when nosotros speak close Social Inclusion good inwards essence it is close creating a fair as well as inclusive society. It is close ensuring that people are encouraged to participate inwards all aspects of social, cultural, economical as well as political life.
At the pump of the operate nosotros hit inwards The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is promoting the inclusion of the mortal amongst dementia as well as their carer inwards their local community, enabling their participation inwards the issues as well as decisions that impact their lives. We strive to abide by novel as well as innovative ways of engaging amongst the detail needs of people amongst dementia as well as their families which our traditional services hit non e'er meet. Empowering people amongst dementia as well as their carers/families to back upwards each other as well as brand their voices heard on issues which impact them is key to achieving sustainable social inclusion.
However, inwards damage of the land of dementia studies Social Inclusion has received niggling attention, amongst only a few exceptions. Therefore, the whole notion remains relatively unexplored as well as every bit a number presents us amongst many exciting opportunities every bit good every bit challenges.
Social Inclusion is essentially grounded inwards the existent life experiences of people. It is a user-friendly term as well as does not stigmatize people every bit the damage poverty or sufferer may.
It is of import yet earlier nosotros endeavor to sympathise the links betwixt Social Inclusion as well as what nosotros are going to acquire close today that nosotros sympathise what is meant past times the term social exclusion. Many social commentators would country that social exclusion tin usefully endure thought of every bit existing when groups of people are unable to accomplish what are viewed every bit “normal” levels of social credence as well as participation.
It is widely known as well as widely accepted that people amongst dementia sense social exclusion inwards many dissimilar ways, at dissimilar times as well as dissimilar levels.
People amongst dementia are often excluded from business solid unit of measurement as well as community life, they may induce got express opportunities for meaningful describe as well as often abide by it hard to access as well as sympathise the data that they quest to invention as well as alive every bit amount lives every bit possible.
The findings from a report on the issues of stigma as well as dementia, completed past times Dr Louise Daly for the Alzheimer Society of Republic of Ireland inwards 2006, institute that people amongst dementia as well as their carers are often dependent area to attitudes as well as experiences, which encourage isolation from their usual back upwards networks, socially distance them from others inwards society, presents them amongst difficulties inwards navigating the available systems as well as services, as well as threatens their self-esteem as well as personhood. These are experiences usually associated amongst belonging to a stigmatized group. It is for these reasons that the evolution of specific policies as well as services to address Social Inclusion issues is thence of import for people amongst dementia as well as their loved ones who aid for them.
This is where the thought for developing Dementia Friendly Communities was born.
Essentially, Dementia Friendly Communities (DFC) are close transforming our villages, towns, cities as well as communities into improve places to alive for people amongst dementia. It is close facilitating local communities to enable people living amongst dementia to alive inwards their ain community as well as retain their traditional networks.
It is non close setting upwards ‘new’ services, but instead supporting the existing community to move dementia friendly as well as inclusive. The concept of DFC is grounded inwards places where people alive as well as services that people occupation (Goodchild, 2011). It is novel as well as cutting border as well as attributable to the to a greater extent than creative thinking that is going on inwards the Alzheimer drive inwards Europe inwards particular.
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So what is the vision as well as values for a Dementia Friendly Communities?
The overall vision is to reconfigure the communities that nosotros all alive inwards as well as mainstream dementia into everyday life of that community. The vision is to involve all the stakeholders as well as members of the community to endure dementia friendly. One of the inwardness values of the model is placing the mortal amongst dementia at the pump as well as giving them a meaningful vocalism inwards determining the house they wishing to occupy inwards their community.
It ascribes the mortal amongst dementia the purpose of active citizen amongst rights. This contrasts sharply from the electrical flow models of dementia aid where the status of the mortal amongst the status is viewed every bit beingness alone passive, ‘sick’ as well as without a voice.
DFC values rights as well as empowerment, community action, community empowerment, social solidarity as well as shifting ability dynamics. It too places the concept of inclusion of the mortal at the pump of the initiative. The inaugural is non close replacing existing social as well as wellness aid responses to dementia but instead aims to complement as well as back upwards them.
The in conclusion affair that needs to endure incorporated every bit nosotros motion towards a Dementia Friendly Community is that it requires a community evolution approach. It volition only endure successful if it is a grassroots, community-led initiative. We are currently inwards a pre evolution stage of edifice our Dementia Friendly Communities as well as the principal steps that nosotros quest to select include:
Making contact amongst the relevant stakeholders such every bit yourselves that are gathered hither today. We quest to create relationships as well as prepare awareness of the initiative. We would as well as thence promise to hit some data for the key actors as well as the community inwards full general thence that they are informed of the initiative. We volition move along to host a number of meetings that are focused on raising awareness close the projection as well as edifice a community of interest. Through this procedure nosotros would promise to garner ideas that could endure developed inwards conjunction amongst an activity invention to scroll out the initiative. Once the Blue Planet operate has taken house the projection tin as well as thence motion into the evolution phase.
So what would a Dementia Friendly Community await like? Where are the examples? Who tin nosotros acquire from? Innovations inwards Dementia a Community Interest Company based inwards the U.K. were to assay the views of people amongst dementia close the thought of Dementia Capable Communities. They focused on the social as well as cultural environs to a greater extent than than on the built environment. What they identified were v principal themes:
- The physical environment
- Local facilities
- Support services
- Social networks
- Local groups
Not surprisingly local facilities are rattling of import for people amongst dementia. Shops were a rigid subject across all communities, amongst most people maxim that it was the staff that made the principal departure as well as inwards detail the importance of proficient communication skills. One mortal said “If you lot tell people that you lot are struggling as well as why – they are to a greater extent than often than non rattling helpful”. In rural areas, pubs as well as the post service part were of detail importance: “The pub was the centre of the village, as well as every bit long every bit Dad could move at that topographic point he felt connected to what was going on” (supporter from a rural area).
The positive purpose of back upwards services inwards the community was mentioned often past times all communities, although this featured less strongly inwards suburban areas. However, it is interesting to banker's complaint that no-one mentioned their GP.
The importance of friends, business solid unit of measurement as well as neighbours every bit good every bit the broader community were cited across all communities. “Friendly neighbourhoods - I recollect people would assist out if needed, rather than ostracize anyone amongst dementia” (person amongst dementia from a suburb).
The importance of getting involved as well as staying involved amongst local groups was highlighted. Many of the respondents were already part of a local grouping such every bit Singing for the Brain (Alzheimer’s Society) or a local retentiveness café which is non a 1 chiliad m miles away from the Social Club model that Richard volition endure speaking to you lot after about. Therefore, membership of a local grouping was viewed every bit rattling of import across all communities. Words similar “safe haven” as well as “place of safety” were often used to push clit local groups: There was a rigid sense that local groups render non only back upwards as well as activity, but a sense of mutual back upwards as well as engagement.
So where are nosotros now…..
I promise that you lot volition bring together us on this voyage of uncovering of Dementia Friendly Communities as well as that you lot similar us catch the value inwards this inaugural as well as most importantly the value as well as benefits for people amongst dementia as well as their families.
Avril Dooley
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
http://www.alzheimer.ie/Alzheimer/media/SiteMedia/Dementia-Friendly-Communities-Oct-11.pdf
Original content Bob DeMarco, the