Dementia-Friendly Communities

The number of people with dementia is projected to reach 82 million by 2030 and 152 million by 2050 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared dementia as a public health priority (WHO, 2020), and has called for global action to establish dementia-friendly initiatives. It is widely recognized that people with dementia and their informal caregivers face significant challenges that include stigma, social exclusion, and difficulty accessing local support resources. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people across the world, further challenging people with dementia and their informal caregivers. The concept of inclusive dementia-friendly communities has potential to promote social inclusion, change attitudes and behaviors, and support people with dementia to live in their community in meaningful ways, and examples are increasingly evident in countries around the world.