West Yorkshire Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce

The Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce supports the Mayor's pledge to ensure older people’s housing and related services are dementia-friendly.

As people get older, their housing needs change – especially if they suffer from conditions such as dementia. Here in West Yorkshire, we’re determined to work with our partners to ensure people continue to live happily and safely in their own homes for as long as possible. 

Our Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce works to highlight the need for dementia-ready housing and services across West Yorkshire, increase awareness and understanding of dementia, challenge stigma, and work with partners to embed dementia-friendly criteria when adapting existing housing, and building new homes.

Research shows that 1 in 11 people over 65 have dementia in the UK. By 2040, the number of people over 65 will have risen by 40%.

Alzheimer’s Research UK

Working with our partners

Our Taskforce is made up of representatives from the five local authorities of West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire Housing Partnership and third sector organisations including the Alzheimer’s Society, alongside Combined Authority officers. 

Two subsidiary groups have been established to support the Taskforce to deliver its objectives: the Dementia-ready Housing Champions and the Dementia-ready Advisory Group.

 

The Champions represent housing providers. They raise awareness and:

  • promote training including Alzheimer's Society ‘Dementia Friends’
  • implement the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia-friendly Housing Guide
  • work towards dementia-readiness in their existing and proposed housing

The Advisory Group includes representatives from local authority housing and care teams, the Government's Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), Homes England and the NHS. Its role is to review progress of the Taskforce and provide expert input.

Connections with wider networks, including the national Dementia and Housing Working Group are being utilised to develop the profile of the group, network and share information.

The Taskforce’s activities focus on influencing, signposting and data gathering.

  1. Influencing includes:

    • Raising awareness of dementia and the work of the Taskforce to attract funding for dementia friendly design, adaptations and other initiatives across West Yorkshire.
    • Involving people living with dementia and their carers in the development of the West Yorkshire Housing Strategy.
    • Working with the Champions to help promote dementia training and awareness, influencing decision-makers to build to dementia-ready criteria, including through any improvement programmes and changing the design of proposed new homes.

  2. Signposting includes:

    • Improving coordination between health, care and housing sectors to ensure people receiving a diagnosis of dementia receive information about housing options and support at the appropriate time
    • Using our website and other communications channels to help people find information and training on dementia and explain options for older people’s housing in West Yorkshire

  3. Data gathering includes:

    • Working with the Champions to collect and assess data to determine the level of dementia-readiness in proposed and existing housing stock across West Yorkshire.

What we've achieved so far

It’s early days, but there are some great examples of the work Taskforce members are doing to drive and promote the dementia agenda across their organisations.

Taskforce achievements

Resources, help and advice

For resources, help and advice, visit our dedicated page.