Invitation from Professor Richard Fleming to contribute to the writing of the Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) World Alzheimer’s Report 2020

Every year Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) commission a major report. Last year the report focused on attitudes to dementia (https://www.alz.co.uk/research/world-report-2019 ) and the London School of Economics produced a groundbreaking overview of the stigmatization of people living with dementia.

This year ADI have commissioned Professor Richard Fleming to lead a team of experts in writing the World Alzheimer’s Report 2020 which will focus on Dementia and the Built Environment, looking at progress to date, best practice and innovation across home/domestic settings, day and residential care, hospitals and public buildings and spaces. The report will have a global perspective of dementia related design that takes a cross cultural approach, reflects regional and economic differences and low- middle- and high- income countries, and will consider urban versus rural settings. It will highlight the role of innovation, entrepreneurship and the importance of aesthetics.

Professor Fleming is committed to ensuring that the voices of people living with dementia are heard in this report. With the assistance of Dementia Alliance International (DAI) he is asking people living with dementia to nominate day care centres, residential care facilities, hospital units or public buildings that they feel provide them with a supportive and accessible environment. He is hopeful that the managers of these buildings will collaborate with a survey that will provide information for a case study that will appear in the report.

Professor Fleming is also asking people living with dementia to complete a brief survey about how they have modified their home to suit their needs. The involvement of DAI in this will provide a global snap shot of home modifications that is sure to stimulate discussion and the sharing of ideas on how to thrive at home. Below is the letter of invitation to participate from Professor Fleming.

Dementia and the Built Environment

I am very pleased to say that Dementia Alliance International is assisting me with the writing of the World Alzheimer Report 2020 on dementia related design of the built environment. Kate Swaffer is working closely with me on this project and we would like to invite you to contribute to it by identifying one or two buildings that you have found to be designed in a way that meets your needs.

I would like to invite you to nominate a residential aged care building, a day care centre, hospital, hospital ward or public building that, in your experience, has been very well designed to meet the needs of people with dementia.

Survey 1: If you are willing to do this please go to the survey link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DAI_buildings and answer the questions there.

We would also like to invite you to contribute to it by describing any changes that you have made to your own home to make it more suitable for you.

Survey 2: If you would like to describe the changes that you have made will you please go to the survey and answer the questions there https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DAI_Home .

The survey will also give you an opportunity to send some photographs to show the changes you have made.

I completely understand that you may not want to take part in this survey and I thank you for your attention so far. If you do choose to complete the survey please accept my thanks. I hope you find it interesting.

Yours sincerely

Professor Richard Fleming, PhD.
Lead author, World Alzheimer’s Report 2020