BBC Radio Devon

working to make Devon more dementia friendly

In January 2014, BBC Radio Devon announced it would spend the year helping to make Devon more dementia friendly. We explained a “dementia friendly”place was somewhere people with dementia and their carers feel understood, respected, included, valued and supported.

Simply stating this aim on air was significant –it required us to explain what the phrase “dementia friendly”meant, to consider how much understanding, respect and support existed, and to ask what needed to be done to improve the situation.

BBC Radio Devon's efforts are particularly relevant to the Prime Minister's Rural Dementia Task and Finish Group because Devon is one of England’s biggest rural counties. Although the geography can be difficult and some local services are limited, radio has the power to transcend these issues and reach into even the most isolated of homes.

BBC Radio Devon helped make Devon more dementia friendly through:

  1. Broadcasting material that raises awareness about, and reduces the stigma surrounding dementia.
  2. Making BBC Radio Devon itself more dementia friendly
  3. Investigating ways to make radio output itself - the mechanics of broadcasting - more dementia friendly.
  1. Raising awareness; reducing stigma

To do this BBC Radio Devon:

•Investigated and challenged individuals’and organisations’attitudes and actions towards those with dementia and their carers

•Reflected things being done locally that can help.

•Emphasised that although we can’t ‘improve dementia’itself, that individually and collectively we (the station, listeners, employers and organisations) can dramatically improve peoples’experiences.

To help give our coverage shape and impetus, each month we highlighted one of the Alzheimer’s Society’s 10 steps to becoming more dementia friendly.

We targeted coverage across all output - from breakfast shows to mid-morning, lunch and drive; from request shows, to special documentaries. The year saw us feature 150+ pieces including crafted reports, phone-ins; long-form feature interviews, outside broadcasts.

We focused on the issues as they appear in different geographical areas: cities, market towns, the countryside - we spent a whole week looking at the specific problems presented by dementia in rural areas

We heard from experts, policy-makers and campaigners. We heard in detail from carers; some distraught, some angry, some ‘coping’.

And throughout, we made sure we heard from people who are living with a dementia. So we heard in detail, often live, from people with dementia who are workers, campaigners, self-carers, singers, basketball fans.

Some of these contributions from people living with dementia were live, two were for hour-long segments. That was fairly groundbreaking - for our audience and for ourselves, it helped challenge pre-conceptions and raise awareness. It revealed what some people who are living with dementia can do. And it showed us what we as broadcasters could do. Always when preparing a piece, we asked: where is the voice of the person living with a dementia?

An example: our breakfast and mid-morning shows featured a weekly Dementia Diary; a broadcast diary written, recorded and emailed to us by a contributor who is living with dementia - again challenging pre-conceptions.

We created a permanent online resource ( which features some of our interviews and, crucially, points listeners towards groups that can provide support.

In doing this we inspired individuals and organisation to act - the Exeter-based Met Office (which employs 2000+ people) is now working to become a Dementia Carer Friendly Organisation - something prompted directly by BBC Radio Devon's coverage.

2. Making BBC Radio Devon itself more dementia friendly.

The Rural Dementia Task and Finish Group Chairman, Ian Sherriff, held a highly successful dementia friends awareness session for staff. We're also reviewing the guidance given to staff who answer calls to on-air programmes - they sometimes get repeat calls from people who are confused or agitated, and who we think might be living with dementia. We're asking a range of experts for their views on what the appropriate actions are. This has also involved exploring the current guidance to all BBC staff - we're hoping this will have a wider impact.

3. Exploring ways to make the mechanics of broadcasting more dementia friendly.

BBC Radio Devon is working alongside Ian Sherriff and Dr Alexis Kirke from Plymouth University to examine how best to use things like music, time checks, jingles and music beds. For example, amongst many elements, Dr Kirke's research has discovered:

•Being specific about times of day/days helps - for example saying "It's 7.10, this murky Tuesday morning”, helps, unobtrusively, ground those who’re confused about which day it is and whether it’s morning or evening.

•Presenters speaking over loud music lyrics can prove particularly confusing.

•Music that’s comfortable and familiar helps bring minds alive; we’re investigating subtle ways to best incorporate that into programming - as broadcasters, having achieved that, what do you do or play next?

•As well as bearing people with dementia in mind when making programmes, Dr Kirke has also suggested the BBC considers making programmes specifically targeted at people living with dementia, in order to cater for this underserved community.

•Dr Kirke sees this as initial research, possible paving the way for a more considered study. BBC Radio Devon has worked with him to create a special, hour-long programme, exploring his findings. We hope it will not only appeal to listeners but inform industry professionals about the things they can do to make broadcasting more dementia friendly. We're also hoping to share this programme with the wider BBC.

As a public service broadcaster, BBC Radio Devon believes it has the audience demographics, airtime, resources and the remit to promote understanding, acceptance and respect of those living with dementia and their carers in a sustained, high-profile way.

BBC Radio Devon's efforts to make Devon more dementia friendly prompted October's pan-BBC dementia week, which helped raise awareness about some of the issues. We think the station's year-long efforts have also revealed much more about the actions individuals and communities can take to help those affected "live well" with dementia. We hope to continuing sharing that knowledge and experience with the wider BBC, to ensure that a broader, national legacy flows from BBC Radio Devon's actions. So we'll evaluate the programming and pass onto other interested stations the lessons learned.

One example is that throughout our coverage we chose to use the word "friendly" wherever possible alongside the word "dementia". So although we reflected the problem: "dementia" we also reflected things that can make a real difference when it comes to easing those difficulties - it explores the issues but also inspires action. We’ll ask whether other stations could aim to make their local areas more dementia friendly too.

When we started the year's programming, BBC Radio Devon heard from Dr Jennifer Bute, a former GP who is living with Alzheimer's. She said something about her diagnosis that surprised us initially. She said her diagnosis was "a gloriousopportunity, to explain, educate and inspire". It seems that's been our ambition too.