There are now more people over the age of 60 than under the age of 20, according to Dementia Friendly America Massachusetts. Marion’s Council on Aging is taking this seriously.
On Tuesday, September 12, at 1:00 pm, the COA will host Dementia Friendly Massachusetts Project Director Patty Sullivan to introduce interested community members to a statewide initiative to expand dementia awareness. The grassroots movement is looking for locals in town to join the cause.
“All are welcome to attend, no commitment required, to learn more about expanding dementia care, resources and acceptance in Marion,” according to a written release issued by the town.
Dementia Friendly America Massachusetts is an initiative of the Massachusetts Councils on Aging and a member of Dementia Friendly America, according to the release. Reached recently, Council on Aging Director Karen Gregory said she expects a robust attendance at the event.
“We have had people call and there is interest,” she said.
The informational session on September 12 is an initial step in establishing a team of community members engaged in DFM’s support programs through their local organizations, in this case the Marion COA. The town will sign the DFM pledge and, in return, receive a certificate of recognition.
The pledge is to provide supportive programming and welcoming environments critical to removing the stigma traditionally associated with memory loss. Promoting inclusivity and acknowledging the human dignity of those afflicted and working to improve their quality of life is the end game of this centralized effort focusing on education and support for those with dementia and their caregivers.
Since 2016, Marion’s COA has hosted a Waterfront Memory Café, in which people diagnosed with early to moderate Alzheimer’s or other memory loss, as well as their caregivers, partake in activities to improve memory. Gregory said, when patients forget words or run into other memory roadblocks, there is “no stigma attached. … They share a lunch and an activity together.”
“With the support of our community, we hope to strategically implement programming to better serve our community members with dementia,” added Gregory in the press release.
According to Dementia Friendly America Massachusetts, an estimated 130,000 people in Massachusetts live with Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to climb.
Marion Council on Aging
By Jeffrey D. Wagner
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