Towards a dementia-inclusive society

World Health Organization toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives (DFIs)

Dementia affects every aspect of a person’s life. In the early stages a person may experience loss of memory that causes them to forget how to perform simple day to-day tasks, such as cooking or cleaning. As the illness progresses, the person may become more dependent on others.

An estimated 50 million people live with dementia worldwide, 60% of whom in low- and middle-income countries. With approximately 10 million people diagnosed with dementia every year, dementia is projected to affect 152 million by 2050. Dementia has a profound impact on every aspect of a person’s life and there continues to be much stigma and discrimination against people with dementia. Stigma exacerbates the already significant psychological, social, emotional and financial impacts of the disease - effects that have been amplified in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Stigma also increases the likelihood of human rights violations in communities where people with dementia live

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