Authors: Emanuela Zappella
How can we build more inclusive communities regarding individuals with cognitive fragility? Literature describes the characteristics of inclusive communities without focussing on the ways that individuals participate and become involved. By way of written interviews analysed via content analysis, this study investigates the perceptions of the members of a community in the Lombardy region regarding the possibility of being more inclusive towards people with cognitive fragility. The results show three possible approaches: those that are sensitive, the protagonists of inclusive actions; those that have never been personally involved, but would be willing rise to the occasion, and those that consider they have no responsibility and entrust specialists to care for these individuals. The study has three limitations: performing samples, which makes references to a specific geographical community; gathering perceptions, without considering whether the declarations of intent follow specific actions and excluding individuals with weaknesses and their relatives.
Knowing the perceptions of the members of the community could help to understand how to make the communities more inclusive, it could majorly make the members of the communities aware and direct the actions.
The study analyzes the perceptions of community subjects that are indispensable for constructing truly dementia friendly communities.
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