SDDFC – Shaftesbury and District Dementia Friendly Community

Shaftesbury and District Dementia Friendly Community

Dementia-friendly communities encourage everyone to share responsibility for ensuring that people living with dementia feel understood, valued and able to contribute to their community.

Shaftesbury Dementia Friendly Community Group has been set up with the goal of improving the support, respect and understanding towards those living with Dementia in Shaftesbury.

Our aims:

• To improve UNDERSTANDING of Dementia to help make the Shaftesbury area a Dementia friendly place

• Raise AWARENESS of dementia: how all – individuals, families, businesses – can play a part

• To act as an access point for INFORMATION SHARING – a one stop shop of available services

• Offer free dementia awareness sessions by a “Dementia Friends Champion”

• Develop a dementia friendly community that is committed to promoting services that will improve the lives of people living with dementia and those who support and care for them

In a dementia-friendly community people will be aware of and understand dementia, so that people living with dementia can continue to live in the way they want to and in the community they choose.

If you would like to get involved with a group or are interested in a local Dementia Friendly awareness session then please contact the Shaftesbury Dementia Friendly Community Group via email:

dementiafriendlyshaftesbury@gmail.com 

or call 01747 852420 (c/o Shaftesbury Town Council)

Why are dementia-friendly communities important?

Dementia-friendly communities are vital in helping people live well with dementia and remain a part of their 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. That’s why people with dementia sometimes feel they need to withdraw from their community as the condition progresses.

In fact, over a third of people living with dementia told us that they have felt lonely recently. More than a quarter of carers we surveyed said they felt ‘cut off from society’ too.

This isn’t okay. People affected by dementia still have an incredible amount to offer to their community. If appropriately supported, they can continue to play an active and valuable role even years after diagnosis.

Resources for dementia-friendly organisations
Make your organisation more dementia-friendly with these helpful resources, including sector-specific information

General Advice for creating Dementia Friendly Environments

For businesses and retail

Dementia-friendly business guide

Dementia-friendly retail guide

Dementia-friendly garden centre guide

 For housing, utilities and technology

Dementia-friendly utilities guide

Dementia-friendly housing charter

Dementia-friendly technology information sheets

For arts, entertainments, sport and leisure

Dementia-friendly arts guide

Dementia-friendly screenings: a guide for cinemas

Dementia-friendly heritage guide

Dementia-friendly media and broadcast guide

Dementia-friendly sport and physical activity guide

For financial services, legal and insurance

Dementia-friendly financial services

Dementia-friendly legal services and solicitors

For public services, health, social care and emergency services

Dementia-friendly emergency services

For rural and faith

Dementia-friendly rural guide

Dementia-friendly faith information