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Dementia Friendly Gwent

What is a Dementia Friendly Community?

A dementia-friendly community is a place where people with dementia are understood, respected, and supported. In these communities, people know about dementia and understand it, so those with dementia can live the way they want and stay in their chosen community.

Why are Dementia Friendly Communities Important?

Dementia-friendly communities help people with dementia live well and stay part of their community. This is especially important now, as many people felt lonely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Creating places that are welcoming and supportive is key to helping everyone. These communities encourage everyone to help make sure people with dementia feel understood, valued, and able to contribute. Many people with dementia feel that society doesn’t understand their condition, its effects, or how to interact with them. This can make them feel like they need to withdraw from their community as their condition gets worse.

Dementia Friendly Gwent

Dementia-Friendly Gwent used to have five groups in different areas: Torfaen, Newport, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, and Monmouthshire. In 2022, these groups joined together to form one big group for all of Gwent. This helps everyone work better together and share ideas. By working as a region, each area can show their projects, network, and share what they’ve learned. Many partners and community members including people living with dementia are involved, all passionate about making our communities better for people living with dementia.

The group meet bi-monthly and regularly share information in and outside of meetings. If you would like to join the Gwent Dementia Friendly Communities network please contact erin.roche@torfaen.gov.uk

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All Wales Dementia Pathway of Standards

As part of the Dementia Care Programme, which follows the Dementia Action Plan for Wales, Improvement Cymru has been working with people living with dementia, their carers, and partners from all over Wales to set standards for dementia care. They started with over 100 ideas and narrowed them down to 20 important standards that people believe will improve dementia care. Dementia-Friendly Communities are very important in this work and we are working hard to raise awareness and understanding about dementia in the region. These standards focus on the needs of people with dementia and help everyone get the support they need. In Gwent, there are many community support programs that help people before and after they are diagnosed with dementia, as well as support for carers and families. The All-Wales Dementia Care Pathway of Standards supports the Dementia Action Plan and focuses on actions to improve dementia care for the next 5 years and beyond. This work is being led by the Gwent Dementia Board, with Dementia-Friendly Communities playing a big role in engaging with the community.

The All-Wales Dementia Care Pathway of Standards supports the Dementia Action Plan and focus on a set of interventions determined to improve dementia care and shape the future of our action plan for the next 5 years and beyond.

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