The Dementia Innovation Readiness Index 2020 focuses on city-level innovation readiness to dementia in 30 major cities globally.
Given population ageing, and the huge increases in the over 60 population in cities globally, the need for local leadership to address dementia is clear, yet the Index findings suggest that cities around the world have not fully leveraged opportunities to support the development or adoption of innovations in dementia care, treatment and support and should take a leadership role in dementia innovation readiness.
The report calls strongly for cities to take a leading role in engaging fully with their national dementia plans, in their development and in their deployment.
Some key findings include:
- Cities must advocate for flexible and transparent funding models enabling regions and cities to adapt national programs and frameworks to local contexts
- Local governments and service providers must ensure that there is a sufficient supply of affordable and high-quality community-based care providers — including day care, respite care, and in-home care — so that people living with dementia are able to access needed resources
- Cities should engage and fully leverage non-profit Alzheimer’s and dementia associations as experts in the community.
- Dementia-friendly principles are the tools and practices that make an organisation, community, or society-at-large more accessible and liveable for people with dementia, but they also enhance cities and improve quality of life for all citizens