North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities Scheme

North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities Scheme

North Wales Regional Partnership Board

The journey to creating dementia-friendly communities across North Wales is well underway. The Dementia Friendly Communities Scheme is about helping to build communities that are compassionate, inclusive and resilient for people living with dementia, and also to support their friends, families and unpaid carers to stay connected, and live well within their local areas.

The North Wales Regional Partnership Board (RPB) launched the North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities Scheme on 1 January 2024. This initiative builds on the valuable work of the Alzheimer’s Society, whose scheme has now closed, and involves collaboration with six local councils, County Voluntary Councils, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, local businesses, and charities.

The Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) has been instrumental in the scheme’s development, sharing expertise from their Dementia Aware Denbighshire project to support other councils and promote the initiative across the region.

Rebecca Bowcot, Dementia Aware Denbighshire, DVSC said: "Raising awareness of dementia across Denbighshire has been a great way of empowering individuals and communities to take action in order to help people affected by dementia in their local communities. It is extremely rewarding to see people coming together to achieve their individual aims of wanting to support people so that everyone can continue to be included and play an active role within their community. We host a bi-monthly Dementia Aware Denbighshire Network which allows dementia friendly communities to come together to share ideas and support each other to enable their dementia friendly communities to develop and thrive.”

Councillor Penny Andow, Conwy’s County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult and Community Services, said: “Raising awareness of Dementia, and highlighting the information and support that is available, is key to helping create dementia-friendly communities. It can make a real difference to the lives of those living with Dementia and to the people around them.”

Communities participating in the scheme can gain recognition for their efforts, which might include:

• Staff training in local businesses
• Clear and understandable signage around town
• Dementia-friendly activities

There are currently 12 communities in North Wales recognised for their progress towards becoming dementia friendly, from Ynys Mon to Wrexham. It is anticipated that a further 12 communities will be looking to apply for dementia friendly status accreditation during 2025.

In the scheme’s first year:

• Over 1,000 people living with dementia and their unpaid carers were supported through dementia groups.
• More than 150 people attended dementia training sessions.
• Over 1,400 people reported improved knowledge of dementia services in their community.

A person living with dementia said: "Being part of a dementia friendly community helps to get your voice heard. It has also helped promote the Precious Memories group in Rhyl which takes place weekly and is a valuable source of peer support for people".

This is one of a number of schemes delivered by the North Wales Regional Partnership Board (RPB) and their partners, working to make communities more inclusive and empowering: https://www.northwalescollaborative.wales/regional-partnership-board/

To learn more about the North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities Scheme and how to apply, visit: https://www.northwalescollaborative.wales/dementia/