For Plymouth to Become a Dementia Friendly City

PDAA

Statement of Intent

Aims and Objectives

Our Vision

For Plymouth to become a Dementia Friendly City

A Dementia Friendly City, recognises the great diversity among

individuals with dementia and their carers, promote their inclusion in all areas of community life, respects their decisions and lifestyle choice, anticipates and responds flexibly to their dementia related needs and preferences.

The Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance (PDAA) is made up of over thirty organisations committed to transforming the quality of life of people living with dementia and the people who care for them in Plymouth.

There are currently over 750,000 people with dementia in the UK and this number is set to grow to over one million people by 2025. The financial cost of dementia in the UK is £20 billion each year and growing.With regards to Plymouth, figures put the total number of people in the city with a dementia at 3000. This is expected to rise by 40% in the next ten to fifteen years.

Members of PDAA signed up to the Alliance in May 2011 to create a partnership with people with dementia and their carers. The Declaration represents the huge challenges presented to our society by dementia and some of the outcomes we are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. Outcomes range from ensuring people with dementia have choice and control over decisions about their lives to feeling a valued part of community and civic life.

Signatories to the Declaration will be setting out what they will do to secure these outcomes and improve the quality of life for people with dementia in Plymouth. Organisations commitment to the Alliance will include working to promote and raise awareness about dementia to their staff which in turn will support the aim of ‘Living Well with Dementia’ for people with dementia in Plymouth.

History of the Plymouth Dementia ActionAlliance (PDAA)

The inspiration to put in place a Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance (PDAA) came from a series of interviews carried out by the Plymouth University Dementia Research Team during 2010/11.It became apparent while the team were interviewing individuals with dementia and their carers for an “early diagnosis of dementia” research programme that a common theme was emerging about community support. When the team explored that concept further what was being said was that “dementia is more than just my social and health issues it applies to all aspects of my life”.Dementia and its effect upon the person, their families and carers therefore has a broader impact upon everyday life than might be initially imagined. Its effect can be seen in a variety of tasks and amongst many organisations encountered in daily life such as shopping, leisure, banking, faith groups, transport, utility companies, tourism, telecommunication companies, crime and justice agencies, charitable organisations and voluntary groups.

Armed with this information, members of the research team approached the then Lord Mayor of Plymouth CLLR Mary Aspinall to seek her support in engaging all the providers of the above named services to join a Dementia Action Alliance. Further to this a small group of committed volunteers were recruited to work on the concept and to formulate an action plan.With this plan in place the team invited ninety different organisations to the launch of the PDAA. The launch was held in the civic building with the Lord Mayor in the chair. The response was overwhelming and on the day thirty key organisations signed up to join the PDAA to work towards a dementia friendly city.

PDAA and the Way Forward for Plymouth

Major Cities have the economic and social resources to undertake the necessary changes to become dementia friendly and are in the position to lead the way for smaller communities wishing to take up this challenge. Establishing and developing Plymouth as a dementia friendly city is one of the most effective policy approaches for responding to demographic ageing.The PDAA is committed to achieving the stated aim of becoming a “DementiaFriendlyCity”. To achieve this over thirty organisations have signed the pledge to transform the quality of life for people living with dementia in Plymouth, their families and carers.

To become a member of the PDAA organisations must be committed to undertake a process of continual assessment and strive to improve their understanding of the needs of individuals with dementia and their carers.This includes developing a flexible, family friendly approach to the needs of staff who may be family carers and for organisations to appropriately train staff so that they can respond effectively to the needs of customers and clients who have a dementia. It is essential that individuals with dementia and their carers are involved in a meaningful way throughout this process.

Membership of the PDAA also allows:

Connection to a network of dementia experts, including senior officials inHealth and Social care, university researchers, members of the voluntary sector working in the field of dementia and individuals with dementia and their carers.
Receipt of the latest news and material on relevant dementia projects.
Meetings and events through the year organised by the PDAA.
Guidance on approaches for developing and implementing a dementia friendly City.
Participation in discussions of best practice for implementing and overcoming challenges to building a dementia friendly city.
Facilitation of partnerships or collaborative activities between cities.
Dissemination and sharing of information and advice.

Objectives of the PDAA

1 To seek membership of the PDAA from the following groups:

Charity/Voluntary agencies
Criminal Justice System
Emergency Services
Digital/Communications networks
Healthcare sector
Leisure & Tourism
Local Authorities/Government
Retail sector
Transport
Utility companies
Financial/Business sector
Church/Faith communities
HM Forces
Press and Media

2 To establish and maintain effective and supportive communities through information sharing networks

3 To provide a useful feedback tool that would be supported by:

Practical guidance, advice, awareness and information and training through workshops and annual awareness days for the both the workplace and the community

4 Ensuring throughout that the voices of people with dementia in Plymouth are heard and so help to inform the work of the Alliance

5 Reporting and Monitoring of the PDAA

Organisations signed up to the PDAA are committed to delivering a better quality of life for people with dementia in Plymouth. They will be expected to publicise their contribution to the PDAA widely, especially to people with dementia and their carers. In that way the PDAA can be held to account, particularly by their local population, to ensure that they deliver what they have signed up to. There will be a quarterly report on the outcomes and an annual report to monitor progress of the PDAA.

Remember carerRosalie Hudson’s words:

“The journey into dementia has its disappointments to be endured as well as its triumphs to be cherished. In all of the ambiguities and confusion there may also be signs of hope, for this is a journey with intersecting signposts; reminders of the past and pointers to the future. There are always fresh opportunities for a new walk on a new day”.

Together we can we can set out on the road to a fresh start for people with dementia, their families and their carers in Plymouth.

PDAA Steering Committee

Chair Cllr Mary Aspinall

Vice Chair Ian Sherriff

Treasurer (Vacant)

Secretary Nicole Quinn

Core members who represent the following sectors:

Local Government Project coordinator Candice Sainsbury

HealthVacant

Retail Clint Jones

Faith Communities Chris Clewer & Keith Bucknall

Plymouth University Dr Helen McFarlane

Individual with DementiaMrs Bucknall

Carer Amanda Dearden

Blue Light Services (Chair negotiating)

Leisure/TourismVacant

Voluntary Sector Kathy Milosevic & Barbara Duffy

G.PDr Nick Cartmell