Royston Is To Become More Dementia Friendly

Royston Is To Become More Dementia Friendly

The Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friendly Communities is a city, town or village where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported. Royston Business Network have committed to setting up one of these communities in Royston.

In a dementia-friendly community people will be aware of and understand dementia, so that people with dementia can continue to live in a way they want to and in the community they choose. Too many people affected by dementia feel society fails to understand the condition they live with, its impact or how to interact with them. That’s why people with dementia sometimes feel they need to withdraw from their community as the condition progresses. In fact, over a third of people with dementia have said that they have felt lonely recently and a number of carers said they felt ‘cut off from society’ too.

The group, which comprises a range of local businesses who meet weekly at The Heath, have taken the first steps to improve this by becoming Dementia Friends and are now taking it further by rolling out across their businesses small changes that make life better or more inclusive for anyone with dementia. Sam Adby from Margaret House, who is leading the group said “I have seen how well these communities are working in other areas and the difference they are making to people’s lives. We really hope that other businesses and community groups will join us so that the initiative can be expanded to cover as much of Royston as possible so that we create a community where people with dementia feel engaged and valued.”

For more information please email sam@margarethouse.co.uk, for more information on RBN visit and to find out more about Dementia Friendly Communities visit www.alzheimers.org.uk/…/dementia-friendly-communities