What is a Dementia Friendly Community?

The Concept of Dementia Friendly Community

The Hong Kong Society for the Aged (SAGE) is dedicated to raising social awareness about dementia, changing public misconceptions, and eliminating the negative stigma associated with the condition. We believe in taking concrete actions to care for and support both patients and their families. Even individuals with dementia have the equal rights of citizens to live their lives as usual within the community.

Whether it is colleagues, neighbors, businesses, or the general public, by working together to build an understanding and inclusive community, we can help those with dementia regain hope and respect, thereby creating a dementia-friendly community.

The Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association joined the global "Dementia Friends" movement in April 2017 with three main goals:

1. Encouraging citizens to become "Dementia Friends."
2. Broadly disseminating accurate and positive messages to raise public awareness about dementia.
3. Encouraging citizens to take actions to care for and support patients and their families, working together to build a "Dementia-Friendly" Hong Kong.

To maximize the capability and well-being of dementia patients, Professors Richard Fleming and Kirsty Bennett from the University of Wollongong in Australia (1987) developed ten evidence-based principles for creating dementia-friendly environments.

Here are the 10 evidence-based dementia-friendly environment principles:

1. Unobtrusively Reduce Risks: Design environments that subtly minimize potential hazards, such as using non-slip flooring and accessible facilities, to ensure safety.
2. Human Scale: Create spaces that are human-scaled, making patients feel comfortable and welcome, and avoiding overly large spaces that can cause disorientation.
3. Allow People to See and Be Seen: Design open and transparent environments so that patients can see activities around them and be seen by others, enhancing their sense of safety and social interaction.
4. Reduce Unhelpful Stimuli: Eliminate unnecessary noise and visual distractions in the environment to reduce stress and confusion for patients.
5. Optimize Helpful Stimuli: Provide an appropriate amount of visual, auditory, and tactile stimuli to help patients stay alert and engaged without overwhelming them.
6. Support Movement and Engagement: Design spaces that promote activity and movement, such as walking paths and activity areas, encouraging patients to participate in daily activities and social interactions.
7. Create Familiar Spaces: Use familiar design elements and layouts to help patients recognize and remember their environment, enhancing their sense of security and comfort.
8. Provide Spaces for Privacy or Community: Design areas that cater to both the need for privacy and the desire for social interaction, meeting different social needs.
9. Provide Community Spaces for Privacy or Engagement: Create public spaces that promote community interaction, such as community gardens or activity centers, encouraging exchanges and support among community members.
10. Design According to Lifestyle Preferences: Design environments based on patients' lifestyles and interests, meeting their personalized needs and improving their quality of life.

These principles aim to create a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment for dementia patients through design and environmental improvements, helping them better integrate into community life.

Training Volunteers as "Dementia-Friendly Ambassadors"

Volunteers will be trained to become "Dementia-Friendly Ambassadors" by providing them with knowledge about dementia. Once their training is complete, these volunteers will be responsible for inspecting facilities within the Heng Fa Chuen area to ensure they meet the ten dementia-friendly criteria, transforming the district into a "Dementia-Friendly Community."

Additionally, volunteers will educate local businesses about the concept of dementia, ensuring that they can provide appropriate assistance if they encounter elderly individuals who are suspected to be lost. In the long term, the aim is to advocate for government departments to promote the overall development of a dementia-friendly environment in Hong Kong.