According to
Dementia Friendly America (DFA), a dementia-friendly community is a village, town, city, or county fosters an informed, respectful quality of life for individuals with dementia and for their families. These communities are committed and engaged to become dementia-friendly.
Dementia-free communities are places where people with dementia can live as independently as possible with value and with respect:
- Where they engage in activities that we all take for granted
- Where they are supported as these daily activities become difficult
- Where the changes in the person are noticed, understood, and accepted
- Where shops, restaurants, and streets are evaluated through a dementia lens
2019 Communities as Caregivers Event:
In February 2019, state leaders met to discuss policies and strategies for making Wisconsin a dementia-friendly state. Speakers included:
- Carrie Molke: Director, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
- Lisa Bratzke: Assistant professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nursing School
- Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi: Assistant professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nursing School
- Joy Schmidt: Dementia care specialist, Dane County Aging and Disability Resource Center
- Gina Green-Harris: Director, Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute
- Debbie Miller: Tribal dementia care specialist, Oneida Nation Comprehensive Health Division
For more information, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
