Creating a dementia friendly environment

Creating a Dementia Friendly Enviroment

Having completed the steps to become a Dementia Friend, you could consider improving accessibility in your pharmacy for people with dementia. A small change could make a big difference to someone with dementia.

If you are a pharmacy in England intending to claim the prevention domain of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme 2019/20, you will be required to complete the Dementia friendly environment checlist which can be downloaded from www.numarknet.com/download/detail/1611.

Here are few suggestions you could consider:

Suggestion	How this can affect someone with Dementia
Consider removing black mats from the floor.	For someone who may have problems with perception, this could look like a hole in the floor.
Do you have a seating area for people waiting? Consider whether the chairs you have in place are sturdy, low and have arms.	Providing a seating area may make a person living with dementia more comfortable and less anxious. Standing and waiting could disorientate them and having a seating area feels more welcoming.
Check for clear signage in your pharmacy e.g way in/way out or even push/pull signs on the door.	People may come into your pharmacy but may not remember which door they came in by. You could place a ‘way out’ sticker on your internal door which could help that person.
Consider using your consultation room for quiet space.	Pharmacies can get extremely busy and people with dementia may experience feelings of confusion or anxiety. A few minutes with a supportive person may be all that is needed to help the person feel at ease.
Display free literature to signpost patients to take away if they have any concerns	This could be a way of showing support to someone who may be affected by dementia or worried about their memory. You can order copies of the customer facing leaflet by emailing Alzheimer’s society on orders@alzheimers.org.uk and quoting code 316 and the number of leaflets you require.

Dementia Action Alliance

Should you wish to look at ways of working towards becoming dementia friendly, you could consider becoming a member of the local Dementia Action Alliance.

The Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) is a social movement with one simple aim: to bring about a society-wide response to dementia. It encourages and supports local communities and organisations to take practical action to enable people to live well with dementia.

Organisations, businesses and groups can sign up as a member of the DAA by thinking of some simple steps that would make them more dementia friendly, and these steps form their action plan.

Members include local businesses, faith groups, schools, housing schemes, libraries, transport providers, museums, shops and health and social care providers. For more information, please take a look at the Dementia Action Alliance website.

Creating a Dementia Friendly Enviroment

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