Richmond is moving forward with its initiative to become a more dementia-friendly community and now, the city is asking for public feedback on how to reach this goal.
In April, the City of Richmond was awarded $25,000 to create a “dementia-friendly community action plan” for Richmond. According to the Alzheimer Society of B.C., a dementia-friendly city is one that “focuses on the inclusion of people living with dementia and on stigma reduction.”
In 2016, there were an estimated 564,000 Canadians living with dementia and by 2031, this is expected to rise to 937,000, says the Alzheimer Society.
In 2015, Richmond was recognized as an “age-friendly community” by the province for its efforts to make the community more accessible and inclusive for older adults.
"Seniors spent their lives building our communities - it's important that they are included in them as they age," said Health Minister Adrian Dix in a press release. "When we make communities age friendly, we make them more accessible for everyone."
The city’s action plan will aim to create a common vision for the city and community partners on how to assist those living with dementia. Ideally, says the Alzheimer Society, community members will be educated about dementia and recognize that people living with dementia may experience the world differently.
Focus groups for those living with dementia or those affected by dementia such as friends, family and caregivers will take place throughout June. Details about these focus groups, which require registration, can be found at www.richmond.ca/dementiafriendly.
An online survey is available on LetsTalkRichmond.ca until July 1.
