Forest Hill Dementia Friendly Community
The Forest Hill Dementia Friendly Community Group co-designed resources to help local businesses in Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre become more dementia friendly. Dementia friendly communities are welcoming and inclusive of people living with dementia and their family and friends. Dementia friendly communities enable people with dementia and their carers to continue to participate in their community and live their life with maximum independence.
Dementia describes a collection of symptoms caused by physiological disorders that affect the brain. Dementia has physical, social and emotional impacts for the person with dementia and their family and friends.
A group of local community members and people from local organisations collaborated and co-designed resources to support local cafes and businesses to become more dementia friendly. The group commenced in late 2016 and was led by the Inner East Primary Care Partnership (IEPCP) and Whitehorse City Council. Resources developed included promotional materials, a checklist of physical changes that could be made to premises, a short dementia friendly awareness session for retailers, simple and clear information for retail staff, and a logo for easy identification and recognition of businesses that participated.
The concept was supported by Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre Management and management of several businesses and cafes at the centre.
While implementation of the awareness sessions for retailers was put on hold due to COVID-19, there was interest from several cafe managers to participate.
Organisations: Community members and Inner East PCP, Whitehorse Council, Carrington Health, Uniting, Villa Maria Catholic Homes.
Contact: [email protected]
Resources: Dementia Friendly Communities
