Building an inclusive Dementia Friendly Community (iDFC) in Kebun Baru

By Jazreel Low, Jocelyn Gwee, Lau Wan Ling, Tan Jiayi, Mary-Ann Khoo

Tags: Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Health

In this study, Jazreel Low Ju Li, Jocelyn Joy Gwee, Lau Wan Ling, and Tan Jiayi partnered with Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) to conduct a ground-sensing study in Kebun Baru as part of ADA’s efforts to use an asset-based approach to build an inclusive dementia friendly community. They conducted: a) surveys to determine residents’ knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia, b) focus group discussions with caregivers of persons with dementia to identify the challenges they face, the assets within the community and the support they need, and c) walking interviews with persons with dementia and their caregivers to understand their lived experiences within the community.

Findings from the study enabled ADA to identify and implement interventions that helped create an inclusive dementia friendly community in Kebun Baru by increasing dementia awareness, improving wayfinding, and enabling community through informal activities.