Green Gown Awards 2014 - Social Responsibility - University of Salford - Finalist

The Salford Institute for Dementia and becoming a Dementia Friendly University

One in three of us will develop Dementia. While we wait for a cure, the Salford Institute for Dementia has been established to research and promote positive approaches to enabling people to live well with the condition. The University’s focus is the maintenance of independence and promotion of dementia friendly support, activities and environments in the communities where people live.

An important aspect of the work is the University’s collaboration with people who are living with dementia and their carers. By involving people with dementia centrally in the work, the University is helping reduce the stigma of dementia and support people to live well in their communities.

The University also contributes to the Dementia Friendly movement. Since November 2013, 136 students and 87 university staff have become Dementia Friends, and 4 staff and 3 students have become Dementia Friend Champions. Beyond awareness, the University believes that staff and students should be dementia-aware so that they can be good citizens.

Top 3 learnings

1 The central importance of involving people with dementia and their carers meaningfully which leads to creating ways of living well with dementia
2 Interdisciplinary so that creative ways of supporting people who live well with dementia are identified
3 Engagement with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors so that a society wider approach to living well with dementia is developed.

Videos

• The Salford Institute for Dementia and becoming a Dementia Friendly University (click to hide)