A NEW drive to make York a more dementia-friendly city will be launched today.

York Dementia Without Walls is a local action group involving local businesses, community groups, individuals and public services.

They will gather at City of York Council’s HQ, West Offices, to discuss work to make York more friendly towards people with dementia and their carers, and plans to inspire continued action and awareness raising.

York has adopted a national pilot scheme led by the Alzheimer’s Society.

Organisations and businesses that sign up to the scheme’s values and publicise the action they are intending to take will be able to display a recognised dementia-friendly logo in their shop or service.

Businesses and organisations in York, including Specsavers, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Haxby and Wigginton community group, Visit York and the British Transport Police, will be presented with such logos by Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Cabinet member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services.

She said York had a large and growing older population and, by 2020, the number of residents over 85 would increase by 60 per cent.

“In achieving our ambition to create a fair and equal city for all our residents, we are proud to be working as part of the Dementia Without Walls partnership working to make York a dementia-friendly city.”

She said the council aimed to meet the changing needs of an ageing population, enabling elderly residents to live in their own homes and communities for longer.

“It’s hugely encouraging to see these organisations already striving to do the same and I’m pleased to present them with their dementia-friendly recognition logo and to see these displayed across York.”