World Alzheimer’s Day: Building a Dementia-Friendly Niagara

Every year on September 21, World Alzheimer’s Day gives communities around the world an opportunity to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, challenge stigma, and consider how each of us can better support people affected by dementia.

In Canada, dementia is already part of the lives of hundreds of thousands of families. More than 770,000 people in Canada are living with dementia, and more than 400 people develop dementia every day. By 2030, nearly one million people in Canada could be living with dementia, with that number expected to continue rising in the decades ahead.

The impact reaches far beyond the person who receives the diagnosis. Family members and friends provide hundreds of millions of hours of unpaid dementia care every year. Dementia affects families, workplaces, neighbourhoods, health-care systems, and the communities we all share.

Here in Niagara, more than 12,000 people are currently experiencing some form of dementia. Behind that number are individuals who continue to be neighbours, customers, employees, volunteers, parents, grandparents, partners, and friends.

At the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region, our mission is centred on improving the quality of life of people living with dementia and those who support them. Through counselling, education, social and wellness programs, resources, and ongoing support, we work alongside people living with dementia, care partners, families, professionals, and the broader Niagara community.

Our vision also extends beyond programs and services. We want to see communities where people affected by dementia are understood, respected, included, and able to continue participating meaningfully in everyday life.

An important part of that work is helping to build Dementia-Friendly Communities.

A dementia-friendly community is not a separate place created for people living with dementia. It is the community we already share, our grocery stores, restaurants, banks, libraries, recreation centres, medical offices, businesses, and neighbourhoods, made more welcoming and accessible through understanding.

Small changes can make a meaningful difference. A staff member who gives someone extra time at the checkout, an employee who knows how to communicate clearly when a customer appears confused, or a business that considers signage, noise, lighting, and accessibility can turn a stressful interaction into one where a person feels supported and respected.

Being dementia friendly begins with understanding. When people learn more about dementia, they are better able to respond with patience, flexibility, and confidence. It also helps challenge the stigma that can cause people living with dementia and their families to feel isolated or withdraw from community life.

This World Alzheimer’s Day, we are inviting local businesses, organizations, and community groups across Niagara to be part of creating a more dementia-friendly community.

If your organization would like to learn more about dementia, increase staff confidence, and explore practical strategies for providing dementia-friendly service, we encourage you to reach out to the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region to learn more about education and training opportunities.

Dementia-friendly communities are created one interaction at a time. Together, we can help build a Niagara where a diagnosis of dementia does not mean losing connection, belonging, or a place in the community.