“Guess what? You can still livewell with dementia”

Developing Kent into a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’

Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge

New ways of working

Building on existing good practice

Increasing awareness

Dementia Friendly Kent web platform

Kent Dementia Action Alliance

Genuine participation to ensure all improvement is grounded in the needs

and aspirations of people living with dementia in Kent

REFERENCE GROUP

12 + Dementia Friendly Communities across Kent

Clinical Commissioning Groups / Health & Well-Being Boards / Local Forums

Developing Kent into a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’

Developing Kent into a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’

Challenges / Risks

Working in silos – services, sectors, disciplines - language

Blinkered research – not learning from other sectors

Resistance to change – wanting to to the same old thing again

Stigma – amongst public and professionals

Complexity – impatience – competing aspirations - assumptions – hierarchy

Achievements

Developing Kent into a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’

Achievements

Conclusions from Kent Take a whole system approach Find common language – open source - accessible to everyone -images, colour, interests, real people doing real things

Build on existing good practiceNew collaborations – diverse perspectives – work the networks

Increase awareness and understanding Challenge assumptions and stereotypes – person not illness

New and old ways of working Iterative - start small – always test – always deliver quality

Genuine participationReciprocal relationships – earn trust by noticing what matters

KSS Conclusions Working alongside people living with dementia, their families and carers and professionals in this field, is the only way to develop a dementia friendly community

Learning – from existing projects and lived experiences

Flexibility – time frames, innovation and experimentation

A practitioner network better equips us to share good practice, challenge local obstacles, be more informed, easier to signpost

Genuine collaboration – engagement, partnership, collaboration - critical for a successful outcome

Social movement - coalition of the willing

Thank You @SILKteam silk.team@kent.gov.uk

And finally … today!#DementiaDiaries@DementiaDiaries