What does it mean to be a dementia-friendly community?

According to the Geriatric Assessment Nurse for Wolf Creek Primary Care Network Wendy Evans, it means creating a place of awareness and inclusion for those living with dementia to feel safe and supported. 

"[Innisfail] is an aging population, above the national average for a rural community, so we have to focusa on how to support that older population," she explained. 

"We want to focus on rural Albertans living with dementia, to age within their communities and be active participants in that community. That includes wellness of their care partners, as well, because they are really the ones supporting those individuals. If it wasn't for those care partners, I don't know what the health care system would do."

Evans said they are going to be launching the initiative first with town halls and an awareness campaign to explain what dementia is and is not. She said dementia-friendly communities are age-friendly communities, and that it takes involvement from all levels. 

"We want to bridge that health and social gap, which is what we've engaged with care partners in the community, including FCSS, the Town and AHS. We want to de-stigmatize dementia in the community, and that's why we've applied for a grant to help us do educational awareness with businesses and town residents."

The Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) granted money to the Wolf Creek PCN to bring in a new Dementia Friendly Community Coordinator, Jennifer Wood, who will aid Evans in the roll-out of the program. 

"We always talk about, in our project, what a dementia-friendly community is. And it’s one where people living with dementia and their care partners are confident and empowered to participate and to be visible in the community, and to know that there are activities that are meaningful for them," Wood said. 

"Also, dementia-friendly communities build capacity to support people to live well, to age in place, and to remain in their community as long as possible. Raising awareness of what dementia is and what dementia is not is very helpful to reduce that stigma."

Innisfail is the first rural community in the province to implement the Brenda Strafford Foundation's Dementia-Friendly Toolkit. The Toolkit provides guidelines for facilitating conversation, for implementing programming and for looking at unique ways to support people with dementia and their care partners. 

On February 5th at 10 a.m. at the Innisfail Senior's Drop-In Society at the Lundgren Centre, the first open-house event will be hosted by the Dementia Friendly Community Partners in Action group, made up of local partnerships. 

Two other sessions will be held ahead of the official Initiative Launch on March 12th. 

Evans said they are hoping to engage businesses, Town facilities, young people and community groups to come together and make Innisfail a place where people with dementia are welcomed, included and able to maintain a strong quality of life. 

To get involved with the program, head to the first town hall, or the subsequent events on February 12th (Autumn Glen Lodge, 10 a.m.) or February 26th (Innisfail Seniopr's Drop-In Society).