Dementia Friends Missouri

What is the Dementia Friends program?

Dementia Friends is a global movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom and now underway in the United States. The goal is to help everyone in a community understand five key messages about dementia, how it affects people, and how we each can make a difference in the lives of people living with the disease. People with dementia need to be understood and supported in their communities. You can help by becoming a Dementia Friend today.

What is a Dementia Friend?

A Dementia Friend participates in a one-hour Dementia Friends Information Session offered by a Dementia Friends Champion or pair of Champions. A Dementia Friend learns five key messages about dementia and learns a bit about what it’s like to live with dementia. Then the Dementia Friend turns their understanding into a practical action that can help someone with dementia living in their community. Their action can be as big or as small as they choose – because every action counts!

What is an Information Session?

An Information Session is a face-to-face session that lasts approximately one hour (60 minutes) and is run by a Dementia Friends Champion or pair of Champions. It covers the five key messages everyone should know about dementia through activities and discussion

The five key messages

• Dementia is not a normal part of aging.
• Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.
• Dementia is not just about having memory problems.
• It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia.
• There’s more to the person than the dementia.

We are hosting Dementia Friends Information Sessions at the following locations and times:

Affton Senior Center – October 15th 1:00-2:00pm

St. Clair Senior Center – October 16th 10:00-11:00am

Union Senior Center – October 21st 10:30-11:30am

Sullivan Senior Center – November 6th 10:30-11:30am

House Springs Senior Center – November 15th 10:00-11:00am

Bridgeton Senior Center – November 18th 10:30-11:30am

St.Peters Senior Center – November 20th 10:00-11:00am

Ferguson Senior Center – November 25th 10:00-11:00am

For more information, contact Stephanie Paul at spaul@agingahead.org.

Aging Ahead, along with other AAA’s in Missouri have partnered with Dementia Friendly America and the Dementia Friends USA initiative by joining the global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Our Community Options Specialists and Senior Center Administrators finished their training course and are now certified Dementia Friends Champion volunteers. For more information you can visit www.dementiafriendsusa.org.