WHO launches initiative to boost community integration for dementia sufferers
Global dementia-friendly ‘ toolkit ’ helps build on local initiatives
Having recently launched a “ toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives ”, the World Health Organization is hoping to scale up integrative initiatives for people with the disease globally .
The toolkit is in the form of a booklet that guides readers from governments , civil groups , and interested parties through methods to raise public awareness and understanding of dementia and support people living with it to “ be a significant part of their communities .”
It ’ s been designed to assist people working in communities to plan , implement , and evaluate dementiafriendly programmes or integrate dementia into other initiatives , such those relating to age-friendly environments and the Decade of Healthy Ageing , the United Nations initiative to develop strategies to improve the lives of older people , their families , and the communities in which they live .
Globally , there are already more than one billion people aged 60 years or older , and most of them live in low- and middle-income countries . Many do not have access to even the basic resources necessary for a life of meaning and of dignity . Many others confront a range of barriers that prevent their full participation in society , according to the UN .
The dementia-friendly booklet is one of a growing number of toolkits that the UN agency has been putting forward to tackle a wide range of health issues from AIDS awareness to measuring quality of life .
It provides an additional resource for the work of organisations such as Dementia Singapore and will be a useful tool for countries that are starting to introduce more dementia-friendly activities .
“ All toolkits are prepared with good intentions and are usually meant to provide assistance . How one uses the toolkit depends on the individual , and toolkits are never all encompassing so its usefulness varies between users ,” Stanley Ho , the charity ’ s director of advocacy and communications , told Global Health Asia-Pacific .
Dementia initiatives are not new to Singapore , which has established 14 dementia-friendly communities across the country where residents learn more about dementia and persons with dementia and their caregivers feel included and supported to continue living well at home .
Dementia Singapore has also recently introduced dementia-inclusive practices to the business community by launching its own dementia-inclusive business toolkit .
“ The localised toolkit acquaints companies with a three-stage framework of awareness , friendliness , and inclusiveness ,” said Ho .
By following the framework , each company is first able to understand the gravity of dementia as an issue that needs to be addressed in the workplace , followed by the next steps it can take to make dementia-friendly changes to its business environment . The aim is to eventually become dementia-inclusive where it can effectively render support to staff with dementia or those who are carers to loved ones with dementia .
“ To make our business toolkit truly inclusive , key stakeholders such as persons with dementia , caregivers , and businesses — in particular , specific departments of businesses such as HR departments — were actively involved in its development . This ensures that the recommendations are pragmatic for implementation and beneficial to both businesses as well as those impacted by dementia ,” he added .
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com OCTOBER 2021
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