BUSINESSES and organisations throughout Pembrokeshire have it within their power to make a very considerable, positive difference for people living with dementia and their carers, says Dementia Friendly Pembrokeshire.

Your local Dementia Friendly Community is striving to ensure that businesses across Pembrokeshire follow in the footsteps of a bright and modern gallery and gift shop in Saundersfoot called Christkindl, and take the opportunity to work towards becoming dementia-friendly themselves.

Proprietor Lesley Bartholomew and her staff have enthusiastically embraced the project. Lesley has commented that they are all incredibly proud to be working towards being a dementia-friendly retailer in Saundersfoot.

Other establishments are being encouraged to take up the baton and share responsibility for ensuring that people with dementia feel valued and able to contribute to their community, safe in the knowledge that their community is understanding and supportive of their needs. This can be achieved by making a commitment to become more dementia-friendly in the way in which they operate.

The process of becoming dementia-friendly is free and is designed to be clear and straightforward, in order for the businesses to learn about what they can do in their situations and simply implement some small changes. These changes are intended to have a significant impact for people affected by dementia. Businesses are able to access resources to help guide them through the process, in close collaboration with their local Dementia Friendly Community.

If businesses in Pembrokeshire would like to learn more about the process, or simply source further information, this can be obtained by emailing [email protected]