We want to support people of all ages to live well in their community and to continue doing the everyday things that we all take for granted, such as shopping or going out to a restaurant.
This month we are launching our Brighton & Hove Age and Dementia Friendly Business Recognition Scheme. This scheme will help support local businesses and organisations to make simple changes that will make a big difference to their customers and their business.
From offering a toilet to use, a quieter place to sit and rest, and ensuring staff are patient, friendly and face the customer, businesses will choose actions that are appropriate and achievable for them. These actions will help businesses to support older people and people living with dementia to live well while improving accessibility for the whole community.
Brighton & Hove buses have a long-standing commitment to making its buses more accessible by working with organisations such as the Alzheimer’s Society, Guide Dogs and Possability People and have experienced the benefits for both its customers and its business. One of the many steps they took to become Dementia Friendly was for all their staff to become Dementia Friends which supports them to understand challenges people living with dementia may face when they catch public transport.
The Council has been supporting East Brighton Café, in East Brighton Park, to become more Age and Dementia Friendly and there are plans for other park cafes, city council buildings and the museums to join the scheme too. We will be reaching out to businesses across the city to invite them to join the scheme. We would love to hear from you about the businesses you visit regularly to invite them onto the scheme. If you would like to suggest businesses for us to get in touch with or you would like to become a mystery shopper to make sure the scheme is working effectively please email publichealth@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
