DFN Physical & Social Criteria - Adele Melas
Findings from Mitchell and Burton, the key pioneers in the field of dementia-friendly neighbourhood research, have distinguished six principles which should constitute a DFN: safety, accessibility, distinctiveness, legibility, comfort, and familiarity (Mitchell et al., 2010). However, these factors focus primarily on the physical environment of a neighbourhood. Thus, for the environment to play a more holistic role in managing and preventing dementia, social factors such as safety, engagement, choice, sympathy, and inclusiveness, are proposed to accompany the existing, physically orientated set of criteria.
