Joining Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough

February 25th 2016

The Dementia Friendly Middlesbrough (DFM) Project has been developed by local dementia charity Cleveland Alzheimers Residential Centre Limited (Clevearc) in partnership with South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group. The initiative aims to help people living with dementia remain active and included members of their communities.

The DFM Project is supporting local businesses and other organisations to make easy, free or low cost changes that will make their services more accessible for their customers living with dementia and their carers.

Becoming more dementia friendly has a number of significant benefits for businesses and organisations. Many of the things that help people living with dementia also underpin good customer service for all your customers, so if you get it right for people living with dementia you will get it right for everyone.

Some clear benefits from becoming more dementia friendly include

- You will maintain your existing customers who might have, or be developing dementia.

- You will attract new customers. There will be an increase in the numbers of people with dementia living independently in our communities. They will use the businesses which are easiest to use.
- Staff will be confident in serving customers with dementia avoiding delays in service and distressed customers.

People living with dementia tell us

"I am more likely to opt for a service that is known to be dementia friendly and would choose it over a place that wasn't."

"I want shops in Middlesbrough to advertise that they are dementia friendly so I know help will be on hand if I need it."

"It makes a big difference when the person serving you is understanding and knows how to help you if you are struggling to pay or get confused."

Businesses say

"Our customers will walk away if we dont meet their needs, along with family, friends and other relations."

For further information contact Brian Rowcroft 01642 611110 or browcroft@clevearc.com
emaildfc@clevearc.com or website www.dementiafriendlymiddlesbrough.co.uk