Up and Go (Leeds)

Up and Go wanted to learn about how people with dementia in Yorkshire are taking up new opportunities. They developed a survey to gather the opinions of people with dementia on the new opportunities they had, or did not have, following diagnosis. They also wanted to find out how people felt about this. The survey was online and in paper form. The group also had a field trip – to a llama farm! They reflected together afterwards on the impact of this new opportunity.

Of the people who filled in the survey, 5 in 6 people had found a new opportunity after dementia diagnosis. 2 in 3 people identified their new opportunity as starting a new group or activity. 1 in 6 people didn’t have access to any new opportunities. The most common reasons for this were needing support to attend or not being bothered/having a lack of energy. The field trip showed that, with the right support in place, people with dementia can actively take up new opportunities that are enjoyable and socially-bonding experiences.