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When we think of making a business or community more inclusive, who comes to mind might be individuals with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, or immigrants. But on May 10, Madeline Noonan, Assistant Director of the Massachusetts Councils on Aging, asked us to think deeply about how our towns and region can become more inclusive of those living with dementia as she presented Barnstable County and all the towns within it with their Dementia-Friendly Designation Certificate. This designation recognizes work that has already been done by municipal Councils on Aging, often collaboratively with the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center and Elder Services. Think, for example, of Memory Cafés, Destination Respite, and Caregiver Support Groups.
But the designation is also meant to inspire and empower communities to do more. “A community’s commitment to becoming more dementia-friendly is an active, intentional, and ongoing process, that at its core should reflect and support the needs of people living with dementia and their caregivers and offer opportunities to include their voices,” explained Noonan. As part of the process, a community pledges to develop an action plan and take steps to implement it.
This can look different town-to-town but often includes trainings for First Responders and public transit divers. The police department in Marlborough set up a dementia registry. Cape Ann’s regional dementia friendly efforts place an emphasis on outdoor exercise and recreation, with Essex County Greenbelt Land Trust developing “Gentle Trails” for maintaining an “active, outdoor lifestyle over the years.” East Longmeadow worked with students at the high school to design a “We are Dementia Friendly” decal for businesses whose staff had been trained communications strategies. Fall River’s Action Plan focuses on steps to ensure those living with Alzheimer’s or related dementias can “continue their lifelong daily activities in banks, pharmacies, and other establishments” by training employees of those establishments to recognize these customers’ special needs. Fall River also implemented a “Purple Table” program in partnership with several area restaurants. The idea of “Purple Tables,” which came from Red Raven, a restaurant in Acton, is this: when a family calls in a reservation and asks for a “purple table,” the staff knows someone in their party is living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia. The staff will then put more thought into choosing a table in a quieter area, with more lighting for increased visibility of the menu and utensils, and present a more limited menu with photos of the dishes. “Purple Tables” make going out to dinner easier and safer for individuals and families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
With so many things that could be done, what will Barnstable County and its 15 towns decide to do? But here's the beauty and efficacy of this: whatever steps we take to be inclusive of those living with dementia will also benefit those with autism, with visual impairments, with mobility issues and so on. Any dementia friendly actions will benefit us all. All of us need all of us to make our lives whole.
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