A JAPANESE delegation has visited the district to find out about Bradford’s Dementia Friends scheme.

The group included a journalist specialising in dementia issues who said dementia is a “high priority” in Japan, which has a rapidly ageing society.

Tomohiro Hamada, who works for Japan’s best-known broadsheet newspaper, said: “Community spirit has become very diluted in Japan; there is a pressing need for communities to adapt to dementia needs. We are extremely interested in finding out how you are creating new communities.

“There used to be a lot of stigma against people with dementia – that has gradually improved over the years, mainly because of measures in overseas countries, particularly the UK. Your willingness to talk about dementia has had a ripple effect through Japanese society; we must make the most of this momentum to go forward.

“The UK is years ahead of Japan in this field. We are here to learn from you.”

The Japanese delegates, who also included members of a social welfare organisation, met Paul Smithson, services support manager of the Bradford branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, Bev Fletcher, co-ordinator of Bradford District Dementia Action Alliance, and representatives from Bradford Council, Face It Together, Memory Tree, Cornerstone, Baildon Dementia Action Group, Santander, and Westcliffe Medical Practice, Shipley, where yesterday’s event was held. Members of each organisation talked about creating Dementia Friendly communities district-wide.

Mr Smithson said: “The success of the whole concept is down to developing a culture shift in the public understanding of what dementia is, how people can live well with it and how it can affect them in future. Creating this awareness has led to volunteers raising awareness of dementia. The whole initiative is about community empowerment.”

Bradford Dementia Friendly Communities initiative has been selected as a finalist in the Dementia Friendly City category at this year's Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Awards.

The project, run in partnership with Bradford Council and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, is led by Alzheimer’s Society's Dementia Friendly team, working alongside local dementia champions  supporting the community via neighbourhood offices. Council services are working towards becoming dementia friendly and the local Dementia Action Alliance encourages organisations and businesses large and small across the district to be dementia friendly.

The Alzheimer's Society's annual awards celebrate the achievements of individuals, organisations, projects and partnerships in creating dementia-friendly communities in England and Wales.

At yesterday's event Ms Fletcher told how the Dementia Friendly initiative works with people living with dementia. Projects include checking out community places such as swimming pools to see how Dementia Friendly they are.

She added: “The most important thing cited by people living with dementia and carers was attitudes of other people they encounter. A positive, helpful attitude can help people live well with dementia longer.”

Michael Skelton of Baildon Dementia Action Group talked about the voluntary organisation’s work raising awareness in places like shops and GP surgeries, and organising memory walks with local historians.

Mr Skelton gave the delegates a ‘Twiddlemuff’, a knitted muff decorated with lace and buttons which reduces stress levels among people with dementia. The items are knitted by community groups in Bradford.