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Dementia Friendly Community Goals
Desired Outcomes
• Community and system capacity that enhances quality of life and
positive outcomes for people living with dementia and their care
partners
Indicators
• Increased quality of life
• Increased community awareness of dementia
• Increased dementia friendly business and financial practices
• Increased access to community life and meaningful engagement
through dementia friendly services and supports
• Increased rates of detection/diagnosis
• Increased rates of advance planning
• Reduced fraud and abuse
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What is a Dementia Friendly
Community?
All sectors are informed, safe and respectful
(age vs. dementia friendly)
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Sector-Specific Dementia Friendly
Practices
• Businesses
• Community-based
supports
• Faith communities
• Health care community
• Legal and financial
services
• Local government
• Residential settings
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Community Toolkit Phases
1. Convene key community leaders and members to understand
dementia and its implications for your community. Then, form an
Action Team.
2. Engage key leaders to assess current strengths and gaps in your
community using a comprehensive engagement tool.
3. Analyze your community needs and determine the issues
stakeholders are motivated to act on; then set community goals.
4. ACT together to establish implementation plans for your goals and
identify ways to measure progress.
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Pre-Convening and Convening
Community Development
Steps
Identify Champion and Coordinator
Readiness and Commitment Check
Convene Cross-Sector Action Team
Foster Contributions and Agreements Across Partners
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Champion Role
Champion
Convene
Guide Planning
Coordinate or Secure Coordination Function
Serve as Hub for Communication
Help Sustain Momentum
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Readiness Check Questions
• Does your community have an influencer/champion who is
willing to endorse and kick off an action team?
• Has your community shown an interest in dementia or other
community health initiatives in the past?
• Does your community have an existing coalition or an
organization that might serve as a sponsor or convener for
building an action team?
• Do you anticipate that your team would be willing to
commit to a 18 month-2 year community effort?
• Would your action team be prepared to collect information
regarding progress on established goals?
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Establishing Communities
Community Commitment
Secure Champion Organization and Coordination
Assure Connections b/n Health System, Community,
and Public Sector Partners
Foster Adoption of Dementia Friendly Practices and
Change Goals
Track Progress
Implement Community Tool Kit Process if
Appropriate
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Convene Phase: The Action Team
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Engage Phase: Actions Needed
•Define your
community
•Determine who to
survey and who
will survey
•Target sectors
•Include diverse
populations
Sectors:
• Adult day
• Caregiver support providers
• Employers/businesses
• Health providers
• Legal and financial planners
• Local government
• Residential settings
• Social service agencies
• Transportation
• Faith communities
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Analyze Phase: Planning for Action
Look for
High Priority,
Low Activity
areas of need
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Act Phase: Working Together
• Dementia Friends awareness and education
program
• Business, clinical, government, law
enforcement, youth, first responder and faith
trainings
• New caregiver supports, respite and trainings
• New meaningful engagement opportunities
for persons living with dementia (e.g. arts)
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Early
Results
Of
Communities
In
Action
Communities in Action
– 32 Action Communities
– Awareness and education:
Dementia Friends
– Caregiver supports
– New, meaningful
community engagement
opportunities (arts, music)
– Cross-Sector Engagement
and Training: business,
government, law
enforcement, youth, first
responder and faith
– Health system adoption of
optimal dementia care
practices
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DFA Network Communities
Early Adopters
Committing/Preparing
Inquiring
Minnesota
Boston
Montgomery County
West Virginia
Santa Clara County, CA
Denver, CO
Tempe, AZ
Prince Georges
County, MD
Desired Impact: Is There a Finish Line?
Community
Capability:
Adoption of
dementia friendly
practices within
and across all
community
sectors (e.g., faith,
business,
government,
health care)
Person with
Dementia—
Well-Being
Care Partner
Efficacy
Care Partner
Support and
Family Health
System
Capability:
Adoption of
optimal
dementia care
and supports in
health, long
term care and
community
services
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Discussion Questions
• What have you heard about dementia
friendly communities that most
resonates with you?
• What seems ripe for action in your
specific community?
• What big questions or concerns do you
have?
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Discussion Questions
• Looking at readiness criteria, does our
community feel ready?
• Where do we feel we are equipped to
move forward?
• What do we need most to move
forward?
• What are we most worried and excited
about?
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Next Steps Planning
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