Dementia friendly neighbourhoods

Home > People Fixing the World > Dementia friendly neighbourhoods

Dementia friendly neighbourhoods
People Fixing the World
May 16, 2023

How do you help older people, and particularly those with dementia, to remain independent for longer?

In Singapore, where dementia affects roughly 1 in 10 people over 60, the government are betting that the re-designing neighbourhoods with an aging population might just be the answer.

Reporter Craig Langran visits the Singaporean suburb of Nee Soon – an area of public housing which has been overhauled by a team of healthcare experts, designers, and residents – and looks at some of the other innovations in elderly care taking place in the country.

And we look at a village in France where everything has been designed especially for people with dementia.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Penny Murphy

Email us: [email protected] Image: Leong Leng Nan and Ng Ha Dui

Next episode

More Episodes

Jun 30, 2026
Living longer, living better

In Bergen, Norway, a two-day ageing festival is testing out new ways to build an age-friendly society—through culture, conversation and shared experiences. Myra Anubi joins in, meeting the people finding creative answers to loneliness, mental health, care and belonging, and hearing hopes for a future where generations mix rather than separate. From masterclasses to inspiring collective events, the festival’s aim is to make ageing something we can all become more comfortable with and even celebrate.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Alex Collins Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: A group of revellers at the Generation ageing festival in Bergen, Alex Collins/BBC)

26min 24sec

Jun 23, 2026
Freeing modern slaves

People trafficking is a crime that often takes place in plain sight - victims are often exploited and controlled in everyday situations. It’s also a crime that touches all of us - the food we eat, the phones we use, the clothes we wear, may all have been produced using slave labour. We’ll hear about ways to break the cycle of trafficking. In the US we take a ride with Truckers Against Trafficking, an NGO that trains truck drivers to look out for vulnerable people who may be being trafficked for forced labour, including sex work. And in Nepal we meet SASANE, the organisation training survivors of trafficking to become paralegals - to provide them with a new career and also help encourage others to pursue justice through these fellow legally-trained survivors.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/reporter: Claire Bowes US reporter: Frank Morris Nepal reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Truck driver Bob Bramwell of ABF Freight, Frank Morris/BBC)

Show less Release date:23 June 2026 23 minutes

23min 25sec

Jun 16, 2026
Snakebite solutions

Snakebite kills tens of thousands of people every year, many of them in rural communities where treatment can be delayed, expensive or difficult to reach. In southern Nepal, reporter Craig Langran joins a community organiser responding to snake rescue calls and teaching villagers what to do when snakes appear near their homes. And in a laboratory at Monash University in Malaysia, researchers are working on broader antivenoms that could reduce the guesswork doctors face when a patient arrives after a bite.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Craig Langran Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Subodh Acharya catches snakes in southern Nepal, Craig Langran/BBC)

23min 25sec

Jun 9, 2026
Ending violence against women

Sexual and gender-based violence remains a reality for many women. In this programme we go to Rwanda to meet survivors who are beginning to find their voice after years of silence. We follow projects led by the development charity Tearfund and meet Sabine Nkusi, the organisation's lead on the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence. They are projects that create safe spaces for women who have experienced SGBV, while also engaging men and religious leaders in challenging ingrained beliefs.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Naomi Wellings Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Sabine Nkusi of Tearfund, credit: Kevine Uwase/Tearfund)

23min 14sec

Dementia friendly neighbourhoods

--:--