AT the most recent meeting of the Dementia Friendly Steering Committee members agreed that they should make a submission to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s draft Town Green and Town Square Master Plans.
Steering committee chairwoman Leslie Williams said with Port Macquarie having the second highest prevalence of dementia per capita in New South Wales it was vital that people living with dementia remained engaged in the local community.
She said the committee believed it was important that we planned now to future-proof our communities so they could be accessible to the needs of an ageing population.
“It is important that the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council plays an integral role in the development of the first dementia-friendly community in Australia,” Ms Williams said.
“By adding improvements to the design of new projects such as those planned for the Town Square and Town Green we can ensure that people living with dementia can take advantage of community facilities like everybody else.”
The steering committee has made a submission to the draft Town Green and Town Square Master Plans which focusses on age-friendly and dementia-friendly seating, walkways, toilets and signage.
Regional manager of Alzheimer’s Australia NSW Gary Thomas, who is also a member of the steering committee, said that people living with dementia experienced symptoms including alteration to memory, disorientation and depth perception changes, so it was important that pathways were clearly defined providing a sense of safety and that this was complemented by appropriate and well-placed seating.
“The committee supports wide walkways with plenty of seating along the paths as well as seating with backrests and arms so that there is an easy transfer from sitting to standing,” Mr Thomas said.
“It is also important that signage in public areas is in large print and legible and that universal symbols are used to identify facilities such as toilets.
“The development of the master plans for these public spaces highlights just how the community can work together to ensure a more inclusive environment.”
