Wembley Stadium has become the first national stadium in the UK to adopt dementia-friendly measures as part of a widespread initiative to encourage all sports grounds to follow suit. As part of the initiative, stewards are being trained in dementia awareness to ensure they can appropriately respond to match-day situations. Changes also include an upgrade to the stadium’s website for better accessibility and the expansion of the stadium’s chaperone service to include people with invisible disabilities, in addition to wheelchair users. These changes came after an evaluation of the stadium involving people impacted by dementia. However, Wembley Stadium has not yet gone as far as Swansea City, which has set up several dementia-friendly measures, including providing ear defenders for individuals with dementia who may find the noise levels overwhelming. Swansea City also has an inclusion room that offers a quiet space to watch games, while the first and last steps on stairs in the stands are painted red to aid those with perception issues.
The Alzheimer’s Society has produced a guide for sports clubs and venues, which it wants to see widely implemented. The charity notes that there are 900,000 individuals in the UK living with dementia, and this figure is expected to increase to one million by 2025. Dementia patients frequently find match days overwhelming and disorienting due to high noise levels, venue size, and communication issues. The Alzheimer’s Society’s campaign hopes to provide fans with dementia a smooth journey from sofa to stands. Swansea City’s Head of Hospitality, Events, and Fan Engagement, Catherine Thomas, stated the club set up a dementia-affected fan working group to evaluate and inform the changes made. The changes at Wembley and Swansea form part of a Football Association-backed initiative to create welcoming environments for people with dementia at all football grounds. Liam Boylan, Wembley Stadium’s Director, said the modifications represented a vital initial step towards ensuring dementia patients do not feel excluded from enjoying the beautiful game.
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