Bruges 'is pioneer of dementia-friendliness'

The Belgian city of Bruges has been hailed as a pioneer in the process of creating the dementia-friendly towns and cities demanded by the prime minister.

David Cameron has repeatedly spoken about the issue and with the number of Brits diagnosed with the condition set to rise significantly from the current level of 800,000 in the coming years, it is becoming increasingly important.

A BBC report has today (February 20th) highlighted the ways in which the city helps to make life easier for dementia patients and their carers.

There is a choir made up of people with the condition and those who help them, which was recently brought to the attention of the wider public when rock band Muse invited it to sing with them at a concert in the city.

Carers are offered therapy by professionals specialising in dementia care, while patients are given help and support.

A database has been set up to allow police to record instances where people with dementia go missing. The location where they are found and the clothes they are wearing are among the details logged.

Retailers across the city have also begun to display a poster in their windows to inform shoppers that staff have been trained to deal with dementia patients.

Find out more about dementia care and support services at Barchester homes.