Collaboration for Developing and Sustaining Community Dementia-Friendly Initiatives: A Realist Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Community Development

Background:

• Dementia-friendly communities (DFCs) are vital for including people with dementia and their carers.
• Dementia-friendly initiatives (DFIs) are foundational to DFCs.
• Effective collaboration among stakeholders is essential for developing and sustaining DFIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test and refine a theory on collaboration for DFIs.
• To specifically examine the involvement of people with dementia and their carers in DFI collaboration.
• To deepen understanding of contextual aspects, mechanisms, and outcomes using a realist approach.

Main Methods:

• A participatory case study design was employed.
• Qualitative data were collected through focus groups, observations, meeting minutes, and exit interviews.
• The study was conducted in four Dutch municipalities aiming to become DFCs.

Main Results:

• The refined theory highlights contextual factors like diversity, shared insights, and clarity.
• Key mechanisms identified include recognition, informal leadership, interdependency, belonging, significance, and commitment, fostering feelings of usefulness and collective power.
• Collaboration outcomes included increased activation, idea generation, and enjoyment, influenced by stakeholder routines and perspectives.

Conclusions:

• Collaboration in DFIs is significantly driven by feelings of usefulness and collective power.
• Further research is needed to explore how to best engage people with dementia and their carers at the core of collaborative efforts for DFIs.