building a dementia friendly community our north lanarkshire story “numbers satisfy the analytical...
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Building a Dementia Friendly Community
Our North Lanarkshire Story
“Numbers satisfy the analytical part of the brain but stories touch the heart”
Sandra ShafiiAHP Dementia Consultant
@AHPRunRideTeddy
Start with a Thank You! For inviting me For being interested in our work For seeing it as a key component of your
local strategy
“The person and their carer are enabled to live a full life with personalised, high quality and well-coordinated support within a community that values them.”
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A dementia friendly community is composed of the whole community - shops, public services, faith communities, organisations, businesses, emergency services, transport and community leaders - who are committed to work together and help people with dementia to remain a part of their community and not become apart from it.
This involves learning about dementia and doing very simple and practical things that can make an enormous difference.
What do we mean?What do we mean?
In the beginning………. We listened to what people with
dementia were telling us They told us about what was
important to them About who was important to them And where was important And why staying connected to their
personal and local communities was important
A Perfect Storm
Match with policy and strategy Match with health and wellbeing
indicators Match with “Quality of Life”
Where have we got to? Working all 6 North Lanarkshire Townships South Lanarkshire catching on!!! Shared learning with 23 other areas in
Scotland Dementia Friendly Community Toolkit on
Alzheimer Scotland website (www.alzscot.org )
Presenting at Alzheimer Europe Conference and Masterclass
Shared our work UK nationally, with Europe and beyond (conferences and workshops)
Writing a report for publication in October
Recognition COSLA Award for Excellence “One to
Watch” category 2013 Highly commended in UK MJ Local
Government Achievement Awards 2013 “Achieving Better Outcomes” category
Scottish Dementia Award for Best Dementia Friendly Community Initiative 2013
EFID Award - March 2014
Setting up for Success
People - Partnerships People - Teamwork Preparation Planning Passion Shoe leather!
Working Group Built on Partnerships Critical foundation Statutory, public and third sector, people living
with dementia and more! Link up the work with national and local policy
and strategy – this is real 20/20 vision!!!! It resonates with coproduction, asset-based
approaches and community capacity Clarify the mandate and level of decision
making that each team member brings Discuss funding support and sustainability early
on Recognise that it is not about control!!!!!
The Right People in Your Team Qualities and attributes Knowledge and skills Expert communicators Willing to work flexibly Visionaries ….plus…… Lovers of Detail Practical hands-on people Warm, friendly, engaging, energetic
and inspiring
Preparation is everything! Define your community and research it….what
do you know? What are the local social and community issues?
Gather population facts and figures (data) Find out about any other projects and
initiatives underway…think about links Who are the community leaders and activists? Hold focus groups….what matters to local
people living with dementia? What, who and where are important to them?
Explore your chosen community based on the above
Draw up your list of targets!!!!
Plan your campaign! Prioritise your list First wave – what’s manageable? What would have the biggest impact? Who might want to be the first? Research your businesses. What do they
stand for Use what’s happening elsewhere to your
advantage! Make promises!!! Go for the Win/Win!!! Publicity, training etc….. And build these
new relationships!!! Everyone will benefit!
Publicise your success Talk about any success you have
locally – get excited!!! Talk about what is going on across
Scotland and beyond This gives credibility to your work and
helps build confidence in your businesses
Keep building on your achievements Use a wide range of media including
social media
Proof of Concept????It is definitely a good idea!
Good ideas have legs. They travel well! Good ideas have heart. They get to us at
our values and connect us around what matters
Good ideas have hope. They are about possibility and potential
Good ideas are powerful. They can shift thinking and behaviour, have impact and can bring sustainability
Putting Promises into Practice
We have the policy and emerging health and social care partnerships
We have the policy promises We need to translate policy into an
“on the ground” reality for people We need to breathe life into the fine
words! We need to feel we are truly changing
the worldThat’s why you are in the room
today!!
Passion AND Shoe Leather Hard work? Maybe!!! But rewarding! Dementia is an agenda that unites us
all…be prepared to hear the stories! You need energy and enthusiasm You need creativity You need to believe that you can
make a difference…and you can! Now you need to get out there and
Just Do It!
NEVER DOUBTthat a small group
of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed it is the only thing
that ever has
Margaret Mead