Before we say goodbye to September, which is Dementia Awareness Month, we want to consider once again what it means to be a dementia friendly community. Today we’re featuring local programs, resources and activities that are helping to build a Dementia Friendly Community in Buncombe County.
Dementia Friendly WNC (DFWNC), which started as a small grass roots group in 2015, is made of up community members and organizations committed to the well-being of people living with dementia and their families. They work with organizations to create opportunities for engagement for people living with dementia. DFWNC provides free, interactive educational programming for individuals, businesses, and organization that want to engage in dementia friendly practices. They include up-to-date information and teach skills to help make communities more dementia friendly.
Through its programming, DFWNC aims to decrease dementia’s negative stigma, ease people’s fears, and increase their comfort levels for those interacting with people living with dementia. They encourage and support program’s participants to take concrete actions to reach out to those living with dementia. They also partner directly with individuals living with dementia, involving them as members of their steering team and as featuring their voices in the awareness sessions they provide.
DFWNC has worked with local faith communities to help congregants with dementia feel welcome and remain engaged. They have trained docents at the Asheville Art Museum to offer monthly “Connections” docent-led tours for adults with memory loss and their care partners. Recently they worked with Asheville Rides Transit (ART) to train 57 bus drivers and 6 transit trainers, supervisors, and dispatchers on how to understand, interact with, and assist people living with dementia who use City bus services.
The Alzheimer’s Association of Western Carolina offers education and support to all those facing Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Programs are offered monthly (virtual) and online on demand. The provide support groups and advocacy and volunteer opportunities.
For people living with dementia, adult day and group respite programs provide socialization, nutritious means, exercise, and community. MountainCare provides adult day and adult day health services. Jewish Family Services of WNC offers the Elder Day Club group respite program, and DayStay Adult Day Services is a certified adult day care program in Candler. Not only are these programs excellent ways for people living with dementia to remain engaged in their community, but they also provide respite and support for caregivers.
Speaking of caregivers, MemoryCare provides comprehensive services for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Specifically, MemoryCare consists of a team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and volunteers all dedicated to the goal of helping individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and other cognitive disorders live as fully as possible for as long as possible at home or in their preferred setting. For caregivers, they offer monthly virtual peer support groups, virtual caregiver workshops, a 6-part Caregiver College program, and virtual caregiver education programs. They also offer Move for Memory, an engaging exercise program for people living with dementia and their caregivers. This program is provided in a virtual format and is led by a licensed physical therapist. One recent caregiver participant shared “Whether sitting or standing, my wife and I get exercise, have fun, sing along, and drink our water. This program is a Godsend!"
Project C.A.R.E. (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty) is part of the Land of Sky Area Agency on Aging and assists caregivers of people with dementia by providing a Family Consultant to help resolve caregiving issues. The Family Consultant can connect caregivers with community resources and arrange funding (currently very limited) to help pay for temporary "respite" care. Project C.A.R.E. helps reduce caregiver stress and exhaustion so that people with dementia can remain at home for as long as possible.
Also at the Land of Sky Area on Aging, is the Family Caregiver Support Program, which provides information, assistance and support to these family members and friends who are caring for a frail elderly person or someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Caregivers receive information about services and programs available to help them keep the person they care for at home. Limited financial assistance is available for caregiver respite, which allows caregivers to take a short break from their caregiving responsibilities.
Support groups as well as workshops and training programs are available to help caregivers take better care of themselves and the person they are caring for. In particular, in partnership with AARP Mountain Region, the Family Caregiver Support Programs periodically offers Powerful Tools for Caregivers, an interactive workshop is designed to empower family caregivers to take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend.
Today’s blog featured programs for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Check out the links and tap into these resources! And, stay tuned for future posts featuring many of the other wonderful programs and services making to our community Age- and Dementia Friendly.
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