Kiama Council has begun a significant journey of age-friendliness with our community, its services and organisations. We are building a more accessible and inclusive future for all as we focus on the needs and priorities of our older residents.Consultations with the community for Council’s Age Friendly Kiama plan and Health Plan have set a baseline of priorities within the framework of the World Health Organization essential features of age-friendly cities and communities.

To meet these challenges, the shared efforts of all sectors of Council, local businesses, community organisations, volunteer groups and older residents are now committed to practical change and improvement. We look forward to building on our existing age friendly achievements to create continuously improving services and facilities that recognize changing needs of our ageing community.

Council and its corporate management are committed to

• ongoing involvement of older residents in Council’s age-friendly intiatives
• growing our age-friendly achievements from the baseline assessment of the community recently undertaken
• continuing to integrate age-friendly initiatives into the Council’s 10 year Community Strategic Plan
• continuing the annual monitoring of the achievements of our age-friendly goals through integrated planning and reporting mechanisms

Planning and Implementing an Age Friendly Kiama

In 2013-2014, Council completed a project to plan and implement age-friendly awareness and practices into the strategic and operational functions of Council’s responsibilities. This project:

• consulted with the various Council Departments to recognize
  • current age friendly practices in Council’s service delivery, and
  • potential impacts or issues for future service provision, relating to demographic change and active ageing goals
• Engaged current and future older residents to review and assess the age friendliness of their community environments, Council services and public facilities. Advice was also sought on management of these aspects to maximise older residents’ participation in a full community life
• Consulted local community services and organisations for their perspectives on improvement of the age friendliness of Council’s services and facilities.
• Integrated the internal and external consultation findings for a review of current Council operations and services in order to identify options for immediate and longer term integration of age-friendly strategies and activities into Council’s integrated planning documents.

The age-friendly changes that have been implemented or are planned as a result of this project, will be reported each year to Council as part of its Community Strategic Planning reporting responsibilities. Information on these changes will also be publicly reported back to the community.

Kiama Dementia Friendly Project

Another example of work undertaken is the Kiama Dementia Friendly Project.

Dementia Friendly Kiama

It is estimated that 1200 people are living with dementia in the NSW Kiama Electorate (approximately 300 within the Kiama Council Area). This number is projected to increase to almost 4000 by 2050.

Kiama Municipal Council, the University of Wollongong and Alzheimer’s Australia are working with people living with dementia in Kiama, as well as their supporters and interested members of the community to make the Kiama area more dementia friendly.

A dementia friendly community is a place where people living with dementia are supported to have a high quality of life with meaning, purpose and value.

Research in the Kiama Area

Research was undertaken by the University of Wollongong in 2014 with people living with dementia and their supporters, dementia service providers, local businesses, community organisations and community members.

This research found that overall, the Kiama area is a good place for people living with dementia to live given the beautiful natural environment, the village atmosphere, and the range of local shops and community groups. The research highlighted the challenges around:

• The need for better community understanding about dementia.
• Improved access to appropriate activities and services for people living with dementia.
• More public or community transport options for people living with dementia.
• The importance of infrastructure that assists people living with dementia to remain actively involved in their community.

Local Action Plan

Two local groups are involved in the development and implementation of a Dementia Friendly Kiama Action Plan.

The Dementia Alliance includes people living with dementia and their supporters, and other stakeholders (e.g. members from Kiama Council, transport services, and service organisations).

The Dementia Advisory Group includes people living with dementia and their supporters to inform the activities of the Dementia Alliance. The group organises informal gatherings on a monthly basis, styled on the idea of a social picnic, with people getting together to relax in a non-threatening atmosphere. For more information email:info@southerndag.org

Activities Undertaken

• Consultation with and information sessions for local stakeholders and groups (including services, clubs, community groups, carer groups).
• Public information sessions to increase community awareness and understanding about dementia and the Dementia Friendly Kiama project.
•  Participation by local organisations in the Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Friendly Business pilot program.
• The Dementia Illawarra Shoalhaven website (www.dementiaIS.com) provides information about local services and events for people living with dementia and their supporters. This website will continue to develop as new information becomes available and events are planned.
• Local newspapers and the Dementia Illawarra Shoalhaven website have published several positive stories about people living with dementia in the local area

Future Activities

Priorities for the Action Plan include

• Conduct a program of educational events to raise community awareness and reduce stigma about dementia.
• Provide dementia education for local community organisations and businesses.
• Support the work of the Dementia Advisory Group to increase social opportunities for people living with dementia and their supporters.
• Develop a ‘Dementia Friends’ program that will train volunteers to support people living with dementia participating in community groups (e.g. existing local choirs or walking groups).
• Promote dementia friendly activities via the Dementia Illawarra Shoalhaven website(www.dementiaIS.com). The creation and promotion of a printed directory for those who may not access information online.
• Take action to improve access to transport for people living with dementia.
• Ensure participation of people living with dementia in Kiama Council’s accessibility committee.
• Conduct a ‘Dementia and Driving’ workshop for people living with dementia and their supporters.