Council urged to help make Darlington a dementia friendly town

A report for Darlington Borough Council’s Place Scrutiny Committee said dementia was “the biggest issue in the country”, and the town should be doing more so those affected can keep an “active social life” for as long as possible.

More than 1,400 people are living with dementia in Darlington, and that figure is set to rise to in excess of 2,200 by 2030, according to the report,

Sue Richmond, ward councillor for Brinkburn and Faverdale, said she wanted to highlight the scale of the issue.

“The amount of people diagnosed every year is equivalent to the amount of people living in Milton Keynes.

“We need to ensure that a person living with dementia and their carer is always at the heart of our work to better understand the devastating impact this can have on people’s lives.”

The report also recommended the council do more to raise awareness of life style changes which may help prevent certain forms dementia.

Cllr Richmond said it was not just the elderly who suffer from dementia, and recommended the council look at introducing a quiet shopping period for those affected.

She also used an example from inside Darlington Town Hall to describe the reality of life for people with dementia.

“For people with dementia, the big semi-circle on the floor in the entrance looks like a giant black hole, and the carpet on the stairs will look like snakes.

“We need the shops in the town to keep in mind that flashing lights and loud music put off people with dementia from going shopping.

“A little step makes a big difference,” she added.

Bill Westland, assistant director of regulatory services, said the council was looking to remove the black semi circle and use a single colour scheme in the entrance.

“Education is a key issue and we all need to be aware how people with dementia are affected.”

Cllr Bob Carson, chair of the Place Scrutiny Committee, said: “The last thing we want is people with dementia living with a fear of leaving the house.”