Taking action on dementia.

Improving the lives of people with dementia is at the heart of a new 10 year strategy.

The strategy, Everyone’s Story, outlines a vision for dementia policy over the next decade and identifies a number of priorities which would improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers.

These include support pre and post diagnosis, actions to enable more people to live well in their communities, involving those affected in the design and delivery of their own support and access to care from a skilled and trauma-informed workforce when appropriate

The strategy commits to tackling stigma as a priority and aims to do this by making sure two-year delivery plans will be agreed to ensure progress is made. The first plan is to be published at the end of this year. 

The strategy, launched during Dementia Awareness Week, is a joint publication by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said:

“Dementia is a brain health condition which impacts at least 90,000 people across Scotland, as well as their families and their communities. This strategy sets out what we want to achieve and the difference we want to make to people’s lives.

“Diagnosis can bring significant mental health and wellbeing challenges that need to be acknowledged and addressed to ensure a person’s rights are upheld. That’s why the strategy was developed in collaboration with the National Dementia Lived Experience Panel. We want everyone affected to be involved in its delivery.”

COSLA Health and Social Care spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly said:

“We welcome this strategy as it rightly challenges us to do more and go even further, to continue to improve the care and support for people living with dementia and their care partners. Delivering it will require us all to continue to work collaboratively in a positive and proactive manner, while respecting each other’s different experiences of dementia.”

Background

Everyone’s Story  

The strategy was devised following eight month’s engagement with individuals and organisations across Scotland, as well as an independent evidence review focussed on health inequalities and on what is making a difference in practice here and internationally.