Dementia-friendly city scheme is planned (From Wharfedale Observer)

Dementia-friendly city scheme is planned

9:00am Monday 14th January 2013 in Local news

Proposals to help Leeds become a more dementia-friendly city were put before council chiefs yesterday.

Otley Town Council voted last November to take steps to make the town dementia-friendly, too, under the scheme, which comes from the Alzheimer’s Society and Department of Health.

Leeds City Council has been working with the local NHS and other groups to produce a draft strategy, Living Well with Dementia in Leeds, that will form the backbone of a soon-to-be-published action plan.

The document includes a list of priorities for improving health and social care for people with dementia, and work is taking place to encourage businesses and other organisations to be more aware and get involved.

Chairman of the newly-formed Dementia-Friendly Leeds Forum, Councillor Christine MacNiven (Lab, Roundhay) said: “The Leeds Dementia Action Alliance will promote the idea that dementia is everybody’s business.”

The proposed next steps include:

• The city council setting an example by providing dementia awareness training for staff
• Backing the Leeds Dementia Action Alliance and its bid to recruit members from across society
• Helping towns and villages sign up to the scheme.

An estimated 8,400 people across Leeds have dementia, of whom only about 4,000 have been diagnosed.