This project aims to create a dementia friendly Crawley that improves the quality of life for people living with dementia now and those who are affected by dementia in the future.

Creating a Dementia Friendly Crawley responds to the Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia and supports the ambition of the National Dementia Friendly Communities Champion Group to have 20 towns, cities and villages signed up to be more dementia friendly by 2015

The programme will build on the learning from Plymouth, York and Hampshire and apply this to a New Town environment.

Vision

Crawley, a town where the people living with dementia and their families are able to live well and are supported across the town to get the help they need to ensure every day life and pursuit of leisure and cultural activities are made easy.

Objectives

The 2 Year programme will use the NHS Change Model to transform Crawley into a dementia friendly town. Crawley Dementia Alliance is working with Ashridge Consulting to create a localised plan which will enable shared learning with other CCGs

Our ambition is to:

1. Develop the Crawley Dementia Alliance to ensure a broad network of support, including town centre and neighbourhood businesses, transport providers, voluntary and community organisations, health, local government and the police
2. Ensure that people living with dementia and their families are supported to describe a dementia friendly Crawley and are empowered to provide practical solutions
3. Raise awareness of dementia across diverse community groups and significantly improve customer experience and community support
4. Improve the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia and their families
5. Support people to remain independent for longer and to reduce social isolation

This project will manage the Dementia Friendly Crawley Programme which includes research and evaluation and leaving a legacy through sustainability.

Anticipated outcomes

• People living with dementia will be more confident in daily life. There will be a much better understanding of the condition amongst Communities, Public and voluntary sector, Police and businesses such as shops and banks will support this project who will know how to help people when in need
• Better and earlier access to information and advice will be enable people to seek the help they need when they need it (will support the ambition to increase diagnosis)
• People living with dementia will be better able to design and participate in activities and play a part in their community (some people may wish to be involved in this project)
• People living with dementia will feel and be less socially isolated and more connected to others
• Improved health and wellbeing of people living with dementia and their carers