Two issues close to our hearts here at Outside the Box were raised in a recent episode of the BBC’s Countryfile:  Dementia and Rural Communities. The episode looked at dementia and how this affects people living in the rural farming communities.

They highlighted a piece of research – Rural Dementia – We Need To Talk – which has been carried out by Plymouth University into the experience of dementia in farming and farming families, and its impact on their businesses and home lives.  It has identified four areas of concern which will need to be addressed if dementia in rural communities is to be managed. The 4 areas are: the farm environment; a reluctance to ask for help; support services; and changing rural communities. It is the first time that research has addressed this issue in farming.

Countryfile also spoke to Dr Ian Sherriff who is currently the chair of the Rural Dementia Friendly Taskforce. Dr Sherriff about the issues rural communities are facing and why this research is so vitally important.  Because rural communities have a higher proportion of older people that cities and towns do, they will also have relatively more people affected by dementia and there will be an impact on the rural areas.  But little is yet known about how this impact will manifest itself and what kind of specialist care networks will need to be in place to tackle it.

The programme also looked at 2 examples of local projects that are supporting farming families affected by dementia.  Hearing about the issues that families are dealing with and the support they are receiving from volunteers from The Farming Community Network & The Dementia Friendly Parishes around the Yealm really highlighted the impact that living with dementia in a rural farming community has on the whole family and why dementia needs to remain a top priority for our Government.

The programme is well worth watching on catch up.

Find out about the work we are doing with older people in rural areas and with people living with dementia.