DARE (Dementia knowledge, Art, Research and Education)

Children today are, more than ever before, likely to interact with family and community members living with dementia.

These interactions will increase as the population ages. It is said that 75% of people with dementia and their carers report experiencing stigma and social isolation.

One way to address this problem is through education of the next generation. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, most children would like to help someone with dementia and are keen to know more about the condition.

Project DARE proposes to address this problem by adapting an existing educational program to a younger audience. It will utilise art as a medium by which the children can express their knowledge and perception of dementia, as younger children are more able to express visually concepts that they may not have the vocabulary to convey verbally.