Dementia Friendly Alexandria ̶ Be a Dementia Friend!

Alexandria, VA – Dementia Friendly Alexandria is joining Dementia Friendly America to raise awareness of dementia. Nearly six million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, and organizations across the country are communicating ways we can all play a role in making our communities more friendly to those living with dementia.

The goal of Dementia Friends is to help everyone in a community understand what dementia is, how it affects people, and how everyone can make a difference for people touched by it. There are now more than 97,000 Dementia Friends across the country!

Dementia Friendly America (DFA) is a nationwide collaboration working at state and local levels to advance dementia-friendly communities across the United States. DFA fosters local community transformation using resources and technical assistance to equip communities to better support people living with dementia and their care partners.

The Dementia Friendly America movement was created in September 2015 following the White House Conference on Aging. Dementia Friendly Alexandria is led by Goodwin House Alexandria and the City of Alexandria’s Commission on Aging in collaboration with an action team that includes local government officials, home care providers, nonprofits including SSA, faith-based organizations, and other community members. The action team plans to educate all community sectors about ways to support those with dementia and their caregivers. It first focused on training for first responders and those in faith-based communities, who frequently come into contact with those with dementia. The goal is to engage those with dementia and their caregivers in all aspects of city life.

Dementia’s Five Key Messages:

· Dementia is not a normal part of aging. Not everyone who grows old will develop dementia.

· Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain. The most common is Alzheimer’s.

· Dementia is about more than memory problems. It can affect thinking, communications, and doing everyday tasks.

· It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia.

· There’s more to the person than dementia. People with dementia are a valuable part of the community.

If you would like more information about the Dementia Friendly Alexandria initiative or how you can become a Dementia Champion, visit the Dementia Friendly America website at www.dfamerica.org or email me at [email protected]. You can also email me if you are interested in scheduling a Dementia Friends Information Workshop either virtually or in person.

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