Dementia-friendly Frederick celebrates Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month

By BRAD PETERSEN SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-POST

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. This is an opportunity to increase awareness, provide education and offer opportunities to gather together and discuss Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It is also a time to recognize caregivers for the support they provide to those living with these diseases.

One of the first steps toward raising awareness is educating people on important facts concerning the illness and the number of individuals that it impacts.

The National Institute on Aging defines dementia as “the loss of cognitive function — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living, such as feeding oneself. There are several different forms of dementia, though Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.”

According to research conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 6 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s. Over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Each year these caregivers provide more than 18 billion hours of care, valued at nearly $340 billion dollars.

For additional perspective on the impact of this disease, 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Dementia kills more individuals than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from heart disease decreased 7.3%, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased 145%. In 2023, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $345 billion. By 2050, these costs could rise to nearly $1 trillion.

To address these issues locally, in May 2018, a dedicated group of community partners joined together with a united goal and assessed related needs, recruited community members, created goals and set in motion a plan for Frederick County to become a Dementia Friendly Community called Dementia Friendly Frederick.

A Dementia Friendly Community is “a village, town, city, or county that is an informed, safe, and respectful of individuals with the disease, their families, and caregivers.” A Dementia Friendly Community provides supportive options that foster quality of life. Through membership in Dementia Friendly America, a community pledges to engage in a process to become more dementia friendly.

Frederick County was granted membership in the Dementia Friendly America network in 2019, and has provided a variety of educational, awareness and training opportunities to the community, with a continued commitment to raise awareness about dementia. Ultimately, our collective goal is to elevate the quality of life for those living with dementia and their caregivers. Becoming Dementia Friendly is not a destination but a journey and commitment to not stop until every area of our community is dementia friendly, or better yet, there is a cure for this disease.

Dementia Friendly Frederick will continue to strive for understanding, awareness and sensitivity to people living with dementia and their caregivers so Frederick County can be great place to live, work and age for everyone.

Individuals and organizations can get involved in several ways, including becoming a “Dementia Friend,” participating in an immersive Dementia Live training or pledging to be a Dementia Friendly Business or Organization. Businesses and organizations that complete a training are provided a Dementia Friendly Frederick window cling, which they can proudly display.

For more information on Dementia Friendly Frederick, including an activity calendar, as well as the special events being offered during June, visit the Dementia Friendly Frederick website at frederickcountymd.gov/7973/Dementia-Friendly-Frederick. You can also contact us via email at dementiafriendlyfrederick@frederickcountymd.gov or by phone 301-600-1234.

Brad Petersen is the resource and service navigation department director at the Division of Aging & Independence.

Frederick County resource guide for community services

For THE FREDERICK NEWS-POST

The Frederick County Division of Aging and Independence, formerly known as the Senior Services Division, recently announced that the preparation of the “Blue Book” Resource Guide is underway.

For the first time, the division is hiring a vendor to produce this guide through a Request for Quotes. The resource guide will be printed in English and Spanish.

The County Resource Guide has been a consistent and valuable publication about services pertaining to the challenges, interests and needs of older adults, persons with disabilities, caregivers and veterans.

“This year, the resource guide is being expanded to serve the broader and growing needs of the county,” said Kathryn Schey, director of the Division of Aging and Independence. “By expanding our guide to include more resources for the populations we serve, we expand the possible solutions that are available to assist individuals in meeting their specific goals. In addition, our name change reflects the changing and growing needs of the community that span beyond our older community members and include veterans and persons with disabilities.”

For additional information about available services in Frederick County, visit frederickcountymd. gov/4651/Resource-Directory-BlueBook.

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