Living with dementia condition in modern cities. Does urban renewal help vulnerable ageing population today?

Current debate on ageing in urban environments focuses on how designers and planners develop age-friendly cities or communities. Since 2007, World Health Organisation has been supporting “active ageing by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age”; a global network of age-friendly cities has been launched and city councils are now engaging with local communities to transform urban areas into healthier and fully inclusive places. In 2014, the National Health Service (NHS), UK published their Five Year Forward View for three health, care and financial gaps to be closed. The NHS is currently running a new pilot long-term partnership with five cities’ areas to develop healthier neighbourhoods by modernising services and integrating health and social care with welfare, education and affordable housing. The author of this paper and her colleagues formed a special cluster at their University to review recent national and international initiatives, such as the ones mentioned above. Their intention is to evaluate case studies and proposals related to ageing population with special needs and conditions, such as dementia, and apply innovative ideas of integration of arts not only in health places, but also in deprived neighbourhoods.Funding received from College of Engineering and Technology, University of Derb