Sport England has teamed up with the Alzheimer’s Society to produce a dementia-friendly sport and physical activity guide.
The guide, which was produced with National Lottery funding aims to help the sports sector bring down barriers that prevent people living with dementia from taking part in sport and physical activity.
Dementia is one of the greatest challenges facing society today and there are more than 850,000 people living with the condition in the UK. Yet many people with dementia say they experience barriers to taking part in activity. These could include difficulty in navigating around a sports facility or remembering how to use equipment in a leisure centre. Others say they worry about people’s reactions, for example, staff not understanding their difficulties, or a lack of confidence in finding the right activities.
The practical guide aims to inform and educate individuals and organisations, so they have a better knowledge of dementia and how it affects people. It also provides tools and guidance so that the sector can help more people affected by dementia enjoy the benefits of staying active in a caring and understanding environment.