Centring the lived experience of dementia within policy, practice and community development

The proposed research will empower people living with dementia and unpaid carers to influence the process of community development linked to the notion of dementia friendly communities and initiatives (DFCI). It will address the political exclusion of people living with dementia by generating learning about the process and outcomes of their engagement in community planning and commissioning; it will tackle social isolation through forging connections between networks of people with dementia, locally, nationally and internationally; and it will help to redefine public awareness and understanding of dementia by demonstrating the social contribution made by people living with dementia within their communities. In so doing, the research will contribute to a broader agenda for understanding how to address inequities and enhance resilience in local communities, it will help us understand how public space can be adapted and used to address marginalisation and social exclusion and will provide vital insights into the reform of community-based services and support, fit for purpose in the face of potential future threats and crises.