Dementia Friendly Barnet

What is it?

A Dementia Friendly Community is a place where people living with dementia are understood, respected and supported; an environment where people living with dementia will be confident that they can contribute to community life.

How?

We want to create a movement and encourage organisations, businesses, retail, culture and leisure venues, faith groups and residents to share responsibility in helping people living with dementia (PLWD) to live independently and safely in Barnet.

The multi-agency Dementia Friendly Barnet Partnership include a wide range of organisations, carers and PLWD. The partnership has a joint leadership where CEO of Barnet Carers, CEO of Age UK Barnet and the founder of Dementia Prevention UK are driving the work forward alongside Public Health. The co-chairs have been working with PLWD and carers for a long-time and have lived experience themselves.

We have been engaging with people affected through already established groups such as memory cafes, signing groups, faith communities as well as dementia services such as day care centres to hear the views of PLWD. Having casual conversations in these kinds of venues were very positive because members of the groups knew each other, environment was familiar, and carers and staff were available to help with discussions. Our residents have helped to shape our borough-wide action plan to be recognised as a dementia friendly community.