Croydon's new Strategic Dementia Plan
Published on 30 October 2023 03:25 PM
Age UK Croydon is proud to support Croydon's significant steps towards providing enhanced care and support to people living with dementia in Croydon. The recent launch of Croydon's Dementia Strategic Plan signifies a pivotal milestone in our collective efforts to meet the needs of our community.
The new plan demonstrates a strong commitment to fulfilling the borough's Dementia Friendly status, awarded by the Alzheimer's Society earlier this year. Developed in collaboration with the Croydon Dementia Action Alliance, which Age UK Croydon is part of, also includes various key stakeholders such as Croydon Council, local health and social care services, emergency services, and the voluntary sector. The plan underlines our shared dedication to creating a more inclusive environment for the estimated 3,500 people living with dementia in Croydon.
Aligned with the core objectives of Executive Mayor Jason Perry's plan to empower residents to lead healthier and more independent lives, the Dementia Strategic Plan focuses on five crucial themes:
- Preventing Well – supporting people to look after their health and wellbeing to reduce the risk of dementia
- Diagnosing Well – delivering a dementia diagnosis in a timely and compassionate way
- Living Well – helping people come to terms with their diagnosis and manage their condition
- Supporting Well – helping people to live as well as possible with dementia in safe and accepting communities
- Ending Life Well – ensuring those with the condition are able to die with dignity in the place of their choosing.
At Age UK Croydon, we recognise the importance of the Dementia Strategic Plan in meeting the needs of individuals living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. Susan Underhill, our Programs Director, said, "The Dementia Strategic Plan is a huge step forward in meeting the needs of people living with dementia, and their family and carers. We have listened to them, and we are grateful for their contributions to help us to achieve our ambition to be a Dementia Friendly borough. Croydon’s Dementia Action Alliance is committed to ensuring we are an inclusive and welcoming borough, and we are excited to deliver our commitments in this plan.”