Gill Eaglestone, Research Fellow at the Institute of Lifecourse Development, University of Greenwich, talks to Angelika Welzel Dementia Action Co-ordinator for the Royal Borough of Greenwich about the importance of dementia inclusive communities.
Transcript
Gillian Eaglestone
So Angelika, if you could just tell us what you see as the importance of dementia inclusive communities please.
Angelika Welzel
Yes. So the importance is obviously first of all to get people living with dementia and their carers involved to look at how can we make an environment, neighbourhood and a community more dementia inclusive and that means to make sure there are enough social spaces where people feel comfortable.
For example, so when we in Greenwich spoke to people they would like to feel safe in parks. We have a lot of parks in Greenwich. So we’ve been doing work on that, seeing how safe it is to go and enjoy the parks, but also going to and from public transport as well.
And then also other organisations we work with. For example, there’s an Ecology Park and they will be doing some dementia friendly interactive walks around that, which is fantastic.
And also other organisations and businesses like supermarkets that people are aware about dementia and what a person living with dementia and their family carers difficulties they might face as they’re going shopping. So for example, we asked to have a quiet hour and that means there’s no loud announcements. No furniture or crates will be moved about that make unnecessary noise and also that during that time other customers are aware that. It is the quiet hour and things are a bit more relaxed. As well, so that helps.
Also, we work with solicitors talking about how to make a power of attorney, so it’s a wide ranging dementia, inclusive community. Yes, like from solicitors, opticians to make sure there’s an opticians, which we have in Greenwich. And more, are now come on board to do home visits.
And all the people we work with have had dementia awareness training and also had environment audits, meaning we look around the place. Or their websites and literature and see how can that be made more dementia friendly and inclusive. The writing, the font. That we use, images.
Yes, so it’s a wide variety. And I think for us all to live next to each other, along with each other. These things are very important.
Gillian Eaglestone
Yeah, yeah, definitely. That’s wonderful. Thank you so much.