Exploring assets of people with memory problems and dementia in public space : A qualitative study

Background: With more people with dementia living at home, neighborhoods and public spaces are being recognized as dementia care settings. Further, there is a shift from emphasizing the loss and decline of a person with dementia to a focus on strength and capacity. The aim of this paper is to identify assets that contribute to the well-being of people with memory problems and dementia living in a community context in the Netherlands. Methods: A deductive content analysis, based on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) framework, was used to analyze qualitative data collected through walking interviews and in-depth interviews with eight participants. The participants included six women and two men and ranged from 59 to 93 years of age. Findings: We identified an inventory of physical, social and institutional assets that contribute to participants’ well-being. These assets are divided into two categories that relate to well-being: a) assets to navigate public space, and b) assets to support social inclusion and encounters. We observed that it was not one isolated type of asset that contributed to well-being, but more a combination of different assets. Moreover, we found that participants used assets to gain a sense of relief, confidence and support their sense of belonging and inclusion. Conclusion: These findings inform an asset-based perspective of people living with memory problems and dementia that can promote engagement to support dementia-informed community development, public space design, and healthcare innovations to improve the well-being of people with a range of memory problems who live at home. © 2021 The Author(s