About Dementia Friendly Communities

What is a Dementia Friendly Community?

A Dementia Friendly Community provides community-based support and services through local action for those living with, or affected by, dementia. A Dementia Friendly Community can be determined by both the social environment and the physical environment of the community.

Goals of a Dementia Friendly Community

The main goals of a Dementia Friendly Community are:

• To build community capacity to support individuals to age-in-place and remain in the community for as long as possible
• To raise awareness of dementia with the aim to reduce stigma associated with dementia

Everyone in a community can benefit from being more inclusive of those with dementia

Dementia is everybody’s business and impacts everyone in the community. Chances are we all know someone who is living with or impacted by dementia, either in our own families, or in the wider community within which we live, work and socialize. 

By mobilizing the community to better understand and support the needs of those living with dementia, and their caregivers, it will positively impact their lives and enable them to live in their own homes and stay active in the community for as long as possible.

Good customer care is crucial, and people with dementia are likely your customers too. By understanding and supporting their needs, it is a win-win situation as they will likely return for future business, and their families/caregivers will likely refer you to others due to their positive experience.

A Dementia Friendly Community will benefit the whole community. By being supportive, inclusive and responsive, everyone in the community will benefit, including people living with dementia and their caregivers, as well as businesses and services in the community. 

We ALL have a role to play in creating a Dementia Friendly Community

Becoming a Dementia Friendly Community takes the support of many partners -- whether you are a government or municipal service, not-for-profit or social service agency, business, community centre, faith centre, school or youth group. There is an opportunity for everyone to play an important role in creating a community that supports people living with or impacted by dementia to remain safe, valued, active and engaged.