The demographic trend shows that the proportion of older people in our society is increasing. The proportion of residents in Helsingborg who are over 80 is expected to increase by around 40 per cent by 2030. The risk of suffering from dementia increases markedly after the age of 80. Of those affected, a large majority still live at home and not in a care home. Little is known about the target group's participation in society outside the home. However, research shows that people with dementia benefit from getting out of their homes. The benefit is, among other things, linked to the importance of a sense of belonging and increasing independence. When living with dementia, you are also faced with challenges, difficulties and risks when you leave home.
These challenges can look different depending on the dementia diagnosis and which phase of the disease you are in; hence, we need to test different and person-centred approaches to gain a better understanding of the solutions needed. The need for a dementia-friendly society is well known and is included in the national strategic plan for the care of people with dementia. To meet their health and well-being needs and to increase participation, we need to become a more dementia-friendly society. The project is carried out by a working group covering several areas of expertise, such as researchers, landscape architects, innovation leaders and specialist healthcare professionals. It consists of three parts: testing the care innovator approach in dementia-friendly outdoor environments where public toilets are a case, knowledge sharing through learning forums and research.