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Updates
An Expanding DFA Network
DFA Communities across the country continued to implement dementia friendly activities such as sector-based trainings, Memory Cafés, caregiver supports, faith initiatives, awareness campaigns, and cross sector collaborations. For a directory of DFA Network Communities visit the DFA Communities Overview Page.
PBS Community Partnership
DFA and Dementia Friends USA will be the community partner in a Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) national campaign about Alzheimer’s disease. PBS’ documentary, Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts, will screen across the US on January 25 and serve as a platform for advancing Dementia Friends and dementia friendly communities. DFA will begin promoting the documentary that includes a call to action in early January 2017.
Watch Trailer: Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts
Broad Based Evaluation Tools
DFA has established desired aims and metrics to help communities evaluate their progress in working toward dementia friendliness. Additionally, DFA is in the process of developing a survey that will enable tracking of progress across all communities. This will be sent to community leads and will be available on the website. Currently, the dementia friendly community metrics document can be found in the toolkit on the DFA website.
ACL Supports Dementia Capable System Efforts
Congratulations to all of the DFA Network Communities that were awarded Administration for Community Living (ACL) grants through the Alzheimer’s Disease initiative. Two of these communities, Sheridan, Wyoming and Nevada, included DFA technical assistance and/or evaluation support in their proposals.
Dementia Friends USA
DFA is the U.S. licensee of the international Dementia Friends program, which will launch in January 2017. DFA partner, Home Instead, along with guidance from the Alzheimer’s Association, created an overview video and a series of sector specific vignettes that an individual can watch online to learn how to be a Dementia Friend. Upon completion, the individual will have the opportunity to commit to take action and register as a Dementia Friend. States will also have the opportunity to acquire licensure to train Dementia Friends Champions that can offer in-person Dementia Friend sessions in their state. This would happen through a sub-license agreement with Dementia Friends USA. More information and a contact for inquiring about bringing Dementia Friends to your state will be available on the Dementia Friends USA website. Be sure to visit DementiaFriendsUSA.org in January and become a Dementia Friend!
Special Collaborative Partnerships
The DFA team continued to partner with various organizations on dementia friendly activities:
- Collaborated with Connected Living on new DFA video
- Joined the LEAD Coalition
- Engaged with libraries through the Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies and developed a new library sector guide
- Engaged youth and faith networks
- Collaborated with the Indian Health Service on a specialized presentation
- Held a Grantmakers in Aging DFA webinar
- Developed a Social Security Administration: Dementia related benefits guide for self-advocacy
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