About the project
The Compassionate, Dementia Inclusive Communities (CDIC) project, supported by a contribution from Health Canada, brings together three important social health movements to reduce stigma, raise awareness, and offer empowering supports for people living with dementia to age in place:
- The Compassionate Communities movement focuses on fostering supportive networks where people care for one another during serious illness, caregiving, and grief.
- The Dementia-Inclusive Communities movement aims to create environments where people with dementia can live independently and participate in society without stigma.
- Nav-CARE, a volunteer navigation program.
Together, these movements emphasize social inclusion, empowerment, and community-driven support to improve quality of life for those facing health challenges.
Project team
Barb Pesut (Prinicpal Investigator)
Wendy Duggleby (Co-Principal Investigator)
Kelly Ashford (Co-Applicant)
Gloria Puurveen (Co-Applicant & Project Manager)
Melody Jobse (Community Engagement Lead)
Community Partners:
Greater Trail Hospice Society (BC)
Brella Community Services Society (BC)
Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society (BC)
Age Friendly Cold Lake (AB)
Bruce Peninsula Hospice (ON)
Newfoundland Health Services (NL)
Knowledge Partners:
BC Centre for Palliative Care
Alzheimer Society of BC
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
United Way (BC)
The Need
Approximately, 750,000 Canadians are living with dementia1, a number that will sharply increase as the population ages. Moreover, every year, family and friends provide more than 580 million hours of support to people living with dementia2.
To address this growing health concern, this project aims to:
- raise awareness around – and reduce stigma about – dementia so people with lived experience of dementia and their care partners will feel more accepted, understood, seen, and valued
- to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia and their care partners by mobilizing community members to assist along the dementia journey.
The Approach
The research team has developed a customized toolkit that outlines a practical set of steps to follow to implement a compassionate, dementia-inclusive community. Guided by this toolkit, partner organizations are developing an inter-organizational leadership team to work with advisory boards of key stakeholders (including people living with dementia and care partners) first to assess community assets and gaps; then to use this knowledge to envision, implement, and evaluate two interventions tailored to their community.
Organizations are also using trained Nav-CARE volunteers to help animate their interventions and to provide practical support for people and families living with dementia.
Products and Outcomes
A draft CDIC Toolkit has been adapted from the Nav-CARE Toolkit, the Building Capacity Project Action Guide, and the Compassionate Communities Toolkit (BCCPC) to guide the implementation of this approach. Based on the lessons learned from this, the toolkit will be refined to guide the adoption and spread of the CDIC approach in other communities. A compilation of interventions that are implemented by partner organizations will also be developed.
Next Steps
The vision of the six community partners is taking shape! They are working to implement their interventions and raising awareness to animate their ideas of compassionate dementia inclusive communities.
For more information
For more information about Nav-CARE, contact: nav.care@ubc.ca
For more information about this project contact: gloria.puurveen@ubc.ca
To read our CentrePoint newsletter article about this project, click here.
