Kiama, NSW celebrates 10 years as a dementia-friendly community
In early November, the Dementia Inclusive Kiama project marked its10-year anniversary with a celebratory event.
Starting in 2014, this project has demonstrated the impacts of creating a Dementia-Friendly Community through establishing partnerships, raising community awareness of dementia, changing community attitudes and working to make community facilities more dementia-friendly.
Initiated and driven by those with living experience of dementia, the project has implemented a range of initiatives including:
- regular pop-up information stalls,
- facilitating education sessions for aged care providers and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
- hosting social activities for people with living experience such as community cafes, picnics, choirs, dance groups,
- as well as pit stops for the annual Bondi2Berry bike ride which raises funds for Dementia Australia.
Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan, Dementia Australia staff along with Dementia Advocates Val Fell, Dennis Frost, Lynda Henderson and Graham Fairbairn, service providers, Kiama council representatives and a host of others associated with the project came together to mark the fantastic achievements of the project and to set the platform for the next 10 years.
