voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
Glenrothes to become a Dementia Friendly Community
Created: 12/10/2016As part of the drive by Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership to support people living with dementia, Glenrothes is to become the first Dementia Friendly Community in Fife.
This is the vision of a new initiative between Health and Social Care services, Active Fife, Alzheimer Scotland, Fife Forum, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and Fife Cultural Trust, with support from the local Glenrothes Area Committee.
Within the Glenrothes area, there are an estimated 700 people living with dementia, a disease which doesn’t just impact on the individual but affects the lives of their families, carers and friends.
The work stems from the Fife Dementia Strategy (2010-2020) where the aim is to support local people living with dementia to lead independent lives for as long as possible.
Julie Paterson, Divisional General Manager (Fife-wide), with Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Our work will begin in Glenrothes town centre and over time it is hoped we can extend to surrounding communities such as Thornton, Markinch, Coaltown of Balgonie and Kinglassie. The Fife Health and Social Care Partnership wants to support people living with dementia to participate fully in community life as they have always done, using shops, banks, libraries, parks, cinemas, leisure facilities and restaurants."
“Adjustments can often be small and simple to enable people with dementia to remain active citizens. To achieve this we will work closely with people with dementia and their carers. We will be contacting businesses and services and will look at making public open spaces safer for people with dementia. Active Fife has already ensured that their local health walks are dementia friendly and they are now implementing an initiative to improve strength and balance so that they can continue to enjoy walking and other active leisure pursuits. We have a wide network of Dementia Ambassadors and Champions across the Health and Social Care Partnership that will link into this work as it progresses and we hope to encourage people in the community to become ‘Dementia Friends’."
"We are excited to be working in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland and others to progress this initiative and to help us take this work forward a Project manager, Amanda Hunter has been appointed."