20 January 2025: EMPOWER Dementia Network + Croydon Co-creation Workshop

On the 20th of January 2025, the EMPOWER Dementia Network+ collaborated with Croydon Dementia Café for a co-creation workshop. Together, we explored ideas for achieving excellent and inclusive dementia care, bringing together people living with dementia and their family members. Through creative methods, we explored ideas for achieving excellent and inclusive dementia care.

On the 20th of January 2025, the EMPOWER Dementia Network+ collaborated with Councillor Dr Manju Shahul-Hameed and the registered charity Manju Shahul-Hameed foundation for Mental Health and the Croydon Dementia Café to host a co-creation workshop. The event brought together 27 attendees, including people living with dementia, their families, and community members, to explore what excellent and inclusive dementia care looks like.

We began by asking attendees to reflect on why they attend the Croydon Dementia Café and why dementia matters to them. Many shared that the café keeps their minds and bodies active, fosters a sense of community, and reduces feelings of loneliness. It’s a place where they can share, understand, and learn about strategies to prevent dementia and care for loved ones.

Using a Vision Tree as a creative tool, we discussed the priorities for excellent and inclusive dementia care. The ideas included:

    • Compassionate care through kindness, love, and understanding, with meaningful activities that engage individuals.
    • Collaboration among organisations, professionals, and families, with integrated services or ‘one-stop shops’.
    • Support for carers, including accessible respite services and recognition of their vital role and expertise.
    • Awareness, education, and training for healthcare professionals to listen to families, see the person beyond the disease, and understand needs throughout the dementia journey.
    • Commitment from public and private sectors to ensure widespread access to resources and services, while combating stigma.

These contributions are the building blocks of the EMPOWER Dementia Network+ Vision. Similar workshops are taking place across the UK, and we will collate and analyse all these creative outputs to co-create our shared vision. The work will be showcased at a Policy Lab event, bringing together primary and social care, researchers, charities, and policymakers to agree on priorities for dementia care.

We are immensely grateful to all the attendees of the Croydon Dementia Café for their contributions and kindness.

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