Community Changes Everything
An estimated 60% of people with dementia are living in the community. Our communities can become more inclusive and accessible for people living with dementia and their care partners. Find out how you can be part of the solution.
Our dementia friendly initiatives focus on empowering and engaging individuals and our communities of all types and sizes to become more dementia friendly by learning about dementia, reducing stigma, and building understanding.
We help individuals and communities learn more about dementia and understand how to become more supportive, accessible and inclusive for those affected by it.
You can help by becoming a Dementia Friend and getting your community involved in becoming more dementia friendly.
Dementia Friends
Building Dementia Friendly Communities…One Friend at a time!
A Dementia Friend learns more about dementia and what they can do to help make their community a more accessible and inclusive place for those experiencing dementia.
Anyone can become a Dementia Friend.
By learning more and using this knowledge in their everyday interactions, Dementia Friends help reduce stigma and make our communities more supportive, accessible and inclusive for people affected by dementia.
Sign up today!
Dementia Friendly Communities
Dementia friendly communities are welcoming to people with dementia, support them to live well, and engage them meaningfully in everyday life.
Our vision is that by becoming involved in dementia friendly efforts, communities of all types and sizes will better understand that a person with dementia may experience the world differently and will be able to use this knowledge to increase support, inclusion, and accessibility in their social and physical environments.
A dementia friendly community focuses on stigma reduction so that people living with dementia feel supported to participate and contribute in meaningful ways. Dementia friendly communities promote locally based supports and address barriers experienced by individuals living with dementia and their care partners.
The term “community” can refer to geographical parameters but also includes groups of people gathered around shared interests or features. This means that cities and towns can become dementia friendly, as can organizations, a book club, a business, a local coffee shop, a faith-based group, or a grocery store.
Dementia friendly communities are defined by both their social and physical characteristics and incorporate multiple dementia friendly considerations. The actions taken to incorporate dementia friendly considerations will be unique based on each community’s characteristics, capacity, and realistic goals.
Ways your community can become involved
- Discuss your community’s dementia friendly goals and sector-specific information that can help you to create your action plan.
- Request your copy of the toolkits, checklists, tip sheets and other online and print resources that can assist you in identifying potential changes or improvements.
- Ask about presentation opportunities that may help your community to better understand dementia and how to support people affected by it.
Additional Resources
We have specialized resources for community sectors. For an overview of our Dementia Friendly Community initiatives and actions you can take to make your community more accessible and inclusive, download our Building Dementia Friendly Communities Guide
To find out more contact:
Erica Zarazun
Public Awareness Coordinator
[email protected]