The World Dementia Council is leading an international network of organisations to present the global evidence base for the delivery of meaningful Dementia Friendly Initiatives (DFIs). In launching this new project, we have teamed up with charities, businesses, academic research organisations and people affected by dementia to build the narrative on why communities across the world must deliver DFIs.

The project will culminate in a major report in early 2020, presenting a broad and international perspective on which initiatives have the strongest evidence of impact, as well as identifying the questions research still needs to answer. It will map the global impact of various activities for people living with dementia, those who support and care for them, and the benefits for society as a whole.

Dementia will not be tackled by improvements in our health and care systems alone. All our communities, businesses, public and voluntary bodies within them need to become more inclusive, removing the socially imposed barriers affecting people with dementia. That way people will be able to live better with the condition for longer, improving quality of life and reducing the dependence on expensive hospitalization and care home living.

The WDC is proud to be partnering with Alzheimer’s Society (UK), AARP (US), HGPI (Japan), all from nations at the forefront of pioneering dementia friendly initiatives since 2013, and each uniquely placed to bring together policy and evidence from around the world. We are also pleased to be collaborating with ADI, as well as the WHO which is developing a toolkit to provide key support to member nations looking to develop dementia friendly communities. More will be announced in the coming months and calls for evidence will be made shortly.