Sittingbourne Dementia Friendly Community Forum
The Sittingbourne Dementia Friendly community forum was initiated in August 2014, as part of the Wider Kent Dementia Friendly Communities project. The aim for the forum is for local professionals, carers, people with dementia and anyone with an interest in dementia to meet and discuss issues, share good practice and to work towards the forums agreed action plans to make the area dementia friendly. Membership is open to all, and all are encouraged to attend and become part of the joint work
- Updated:
- 1 April 2016
- Location:
- South East
- Sectors:
- Arts, Care, Clinical Commissioning Group, Communication, Health, Faith Groups, Local Authorities, Voluntary Sector, Other, Housing Sector, Emergency Services Sector, Commissioners Sector
- Local Alliances:
- Kent Dementia Action Alliance, Swale Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
The purpose of the Sittingbourne Dementia Friendly Community Forum is:
- To engage with and listen to the views of the residents across the area.
- To transform the quality of life of people with dementia and their carers through promoting the National Dementia Declaration
- Increasing awareness and understanding of dementia by providing and promoting Dementia friends sessions
- To encourage community support through engaging local businesses, professionals organisations and groups, making Sheppey a friendly community
- Breaking down barriers and helping remove stigmatisation by working within the local community and schools.
- to communicate with people with dementia and their carers/supporters by all advertising in the local media and posters in public buildings etc for those without access to a computer
Initially we will all be working towards a joint action plan looking at the following issues ...
Information Provision- Easily accessible, and easy to understand in laymans terms and simple English, overlapping with communication in terms of sharing information so that 1 story need not be told so many times
Environment + provision….Shops, roads, signage accessibility , wheel chairs, dementia cafes etc
Keeping up the engagement of people living with dementia very important to keep working together
Sharing and publicising the 24 hr support number people felt this was a resource that would have been beneficial had they known of it, so the group felt it should be promoted more
Catalogue of services and what’s provided locally
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
Challenges will include:
- Engaging local organisations and sharing the importance of dementia friendly communities
- Making Dementia Relevant to various agencies
- Time allocated for staff attendance at awareness sessions and at meetings
- Keeping peoples interest
Member contacts
For more information contact
Tracey Schneider
Tracey.Schneider@kent.gov.uk
07730 750906
Member website
www.dementiafriendlykent.org.uk2. Actions
-
Communication and Awareness Event
Overwhelmingly the group from our initial workshop considered communications to be a huge problem.
From the Workshop people had found out a lot about services that were available that they were previously unaware of
An information event was deemed to be needed. Which could start to address all the priorities decided upon…
- Status:
- Implementation
-
Sharing and publicising the 24 hr support number
Across Kent we have a 24hr Dementia Helpline, which many of those at our initial meeting were unaware of.
As an action all members of the forum are looking to promote and share this number where ever possible, including on various websites and through posters
- Status:
- Being implemented
-
Catalogue of services and what’s provided locally
As previously mentioned communications is a huge issue, A catalogue of services was discussed and the group felt that work should be done to progress this for the local area.
Work is being done to map the area and local services to provide clearer information of what is available locally
- Status: