Dementia is a condition that is increasingly common; it can have a profound impact on an individual and their family and friends. Traditionally, the focus for dementia care has been NHS treatments and care services delivered by local councils. Recently there has been a shift to a focus on how we can enable people who have been diagnosed with dementia to live as full a life as possible and encourage communities to work together to help people with dementia have the best chance to live well.
Councils have the power to shape services so that they are dementia friendly. Working in partnership with community organisations, across the whole of their areas of responsibility and embracing new ways of working are ways for councils to embrace and deliver dementia friendly communities.
This guidance produced by the LGA in collaboration with the community interest company Innovations in Dementia outlines the important role of councils in supporting people with dementia by creating local dementia friendly communities and demonstrates how councils are making this happen through numerous case study examples. An executive summary of the guidance on dementia friendly communities for councils has also been produced by the LGA and Innovations in Dementia.
