Dementia and society
Listening to people living with dementia and changing our communities to be more inclusive.
Contacts
How can we ensure that the voice and experiences of different people with dementia shape the policy, practice and decisions that affect their lives – locally and nationally?
Introduction
For many of us, 'getting dementia' is our worst (though often joked-about) fear. We know that people with dementia often have a poor quality of life, and we also know that, as their numbers rise significantly, more will live in their own homes for longer. This raises questions about how all of us – families, local communities, policy-makers, practitioners and society as a whole - need to adjust. The challenge for those committed to human rights for all is also, crucially, about finding ways to help individuals with dementia to live well – and to retain the fullest possible role as citizens in our society.
The one-year scoping programme Dementia and Society will run from April 2011-March 2012, and includes three strands:
- A local project 'Dementia Without Walls', which will scope the current experience, and future needs and aspirations, of people living with dementia in the City of York. This work will be carried out by Janet Crampton and Ruth Eley of AESOP Consortium (a group of former Department of Health advisers specialising in services for older people), their associate Janet Dean of The Dean Knight Partnership Ltd (a York-based housing and regeneration consultancy) and Innovations in Dementia (a national community interest company).
- A national project: DEEP (Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project) which will investigate the ways that people with dementia across the UK are currently engaged collectively, and what they would like to do in the future. This work will be carried out by the Mental Health Foundation, in partnership with Innovations in Dementia and Alzheimer's Society. Details of many of the groups and projects that are led or have actively involved people with dementia influencing servicies and policies, can be found here.
- Further scoping: Exploring the scope for further work on other potential areas of activity – including best ways to disseminate, and in Bradford. This work will involve a series of short papers and seminars/workshops.
The new programme has strong links with our current programme 'A Better Life' which focuses on quality of life for all older people with high support needs.
Our commitment
JRF has committed £200,000 to this scoping programme over one year (April 2011- March 2012). We will be commissioning some work directly, and also issuing limited and/or open calls for proposals. Please note however that we do not accept speculative enquiries for funding.
