What is a Dementia-Friendly community?
- A community where people living with dementia are enabled to live as independently as possible and to continue to be a part of their community.
- A community where people living with dementia are met with understanding and given support when necessary.
- A community that shows a high level of public awareness and understanding of dementia.
Polk and Burnett County Dementia Coalition
Want to help make a difference? Join us for our next coalition meeting. Together we can enhance the quality of life for ALL people impacted by dementia in our communities.
Polk & Burnett County Dementia Coalition | Facebook
Dementia Friendly Business Training: Become a Dementia Friendly Business Today!
Training Dates and Times: The date, time, and location of your Dementia Friendly Business Training are determined by what works best for you, your business, and your employees. The Dementia Friendly Business Trainer will come to you and can present multiple times to accommodate different shifts.
To become a Dementia Friendly Business, we ask that you:
- Call the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin at 877-485-2372 to schedule a training(s).
- Ensure at least 50% of your frontline/customer service staff and management team attend the training.
- Include a short online training in your new employee orientation.
- Contact the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin Dementia Care Specialist whenever you or your employees have questions.
Click here to download a flyer to print.
Wisconsin’s Dementia Friendly Communities Toolkit
Wisconsin’s toolkit, Building Dementia-Friendly Communities (P-01000) (PDF, 10.8 MB), provides information, resources, lessons learned, and the steps for building a dementia-friendly community. No matter what sector you represent–local business owner, faith leader, village/town/county government–there is something you can do to become dementia-friendly!
Dementia Friendly America
Dementia Friendly America is a national movement to foster the creation of dementia-friendly communities around the nation. Whether or not your community wants to engage in the full movement, you can take advantage of a number of awesome videos and resources for all sectors in the community at dfamerica.org/resources.
Dementia Friends (Community Education Program)
Dementia Friends is a global movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom and is 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 each of us 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! Staff at the ADRC of Northwest Wisconsin are trained to provide Dementia Friends Information Sessions and train others to provide this program/presentation as well. Are you passionate about dementia and helping our communities become dementia-friendly? Consider becoming a Dementia Friends Champion! Contact the ADRC for more information at 877-485-2372.
Lending Library
The ADRC provides access to educational resources for professional and family care partners of individuals living with dementia, as well as resources for children and teens. We also offer self-care resources and materials; as lifestyle factors can reduce a person’s risk of developing dementia by up to 80% in some cases, and self-care is essential to ensure that we are able to provide care for others. Our lending library includes: guided-meditation media, exercise videos for seniors, cookbooks and meal planning tips, caregiving videos, aids for communication, and much, much, more. We have made it a goal of ours to have a variety of resources available for the members of our communities.
Please call our office to find out what materials are currently available and details about the lending library program. We also accept donations if you have educational materials (books,-DVDs, etc.) pertaining to caregiving that you are no longer using and that are of good quality. Please call the ADRC of NW WI at 877-485-2372 to find out how to donate or check out an item!