In view of the rapid population ageing in Hong Kong, a 5-year charity-funded project ‘The Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project’ was launched in 2015. Partnering with four academic institutions, the project visions to evolve Hong Kong as an age-friendly city through evaluating the territory-wide age-friendliness according to the age-friendly city domains identified by the World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2007) and suggesting a suitable framework for relevant stakeholders to follow and act upon. As the Jockey Club Age-friendly project is still ongoing, the actions derived from this project are yet to be confirmed. For details of the action plan and suggestions, please refer to its report on age-friendliness: https://www.jcafc.hk/uploads/docs/Cross-district-report-of-baseline-assessment-on-age-friendliness-(18-districts).pdf  (Jockey Club Institute of Ageing et al., 2019).

References:

Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, T. C. U. o. H. K., Sau Po Centre on Ageing, T. U. o. H. K., Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies, L. U., & Institute of Active Ageing, T. H. K. P. U. (2019). Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project Cross-district Report of Baseline Assessment on Age-friendliness (18 Districts). Retrieved from https://www.jcafc.hk/uploads/docs/Cross-district-report-of-baseline-assessment-on-age-friendliness-(18-districts).pdf

World Health Organization. (2007). Global Age-Friendly Cities: a Guide Retrieved from https://www.who.int/ageing/publications/age_friendly_cities_guide/en/

While there are no known, existing initiatives aimed at directly improving the accessibility of the physical and social environment for persons living with dementia, the Disabilities Act (2014) was passed to protect, promote and ensure “full and equal enjoyment by persons with disabilities, of privileges, interests, benefits and treatment, on equal basis with others and to establish the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities; and for connected matters” (p. 43). The provisions of the act may be applicable and beneficial for persons with dementia, once enforced.

References:

The Disabilities Act. (2014). Available from: https://japarliament.gov.jm/attachments/341_The%20Disabilities%20bill%202014%20No.13.pdf

There has not been an initiative by the government to support the accessibility for people with dementia.

No, currently no specific initiatives to improve the accessibility for people with dementia are in place. However, several laws and regulations around the rights of people with disabilities include granting accessibility to public spaces and buildings, making education and work opportunities available, as well as enhancing mobility (streets).

The South African government has adopted initiatives to create enabling environments for persons with disabilities, for example, it has built environments, other infrastructures, assistive technologies as well as policies and laws in place to facilitate their socio-economic development. However, these initiatives are currently not dementia specific. Initiatives that include persons living with dementia stem from the NGO-sector, for example, a Memory Café was established in the Hout Bay area (near Cape Town) to create a safe, welcoming space for persons living with dementia This initiative is responding to a need to create social opportunities for persons living with dementia and their families and it hosts sessions that aim to listen, provide support and share ideas about increasing the inclusivity of public spaces (see article on radio talk held on Cape Talk on 10 April 2019 and listen to podcast at http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/344420/new-cape-town-cafe-spot-a-safe-space-for-people-living-with-dementia).