Become a Dementia Friend – A Global Movement To Create Dementia Friendly Communities
A group of Ecumen employees recently became Dementia Friends – part of a global movement striving to create more dementia friendly communities by changing the way people think, act and talk about dementia.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar Visits Ecumen North Branch To Discuss Act on Alzheimer’s Initiative
As part of her effort to change the stigma around Alzheimer’s and dementia, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar recently visited Ecumen North Branch to talk about Act on Alzheimer’s.
North Branch Reporter and Mayor Get a Dementia Simulation at Ecumen North Branch
Mike Bleninger, a reporter for The Post Review in North Branch, Minn., and North Branch Mayor Kristen Hagen-Kennedy got a firsthand sense of what it’s like to have dementia.
Ecumen Detroit Lakes Receives Grant to Advance Its Dementia-Friendly Work
Ecumen Detroit Lakes is among 12 Minnesota organizations receiving grants through ACT on Alzheimer’s to help create more dementia-friendly communities.
ACT on Alzheimer’s is a volunteer-driven, statewide collaboration preparing Minnesota for the personal, social and budgetary impacts of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 88,000 Minnesotans age 65 and older with the disease and many thousands more with other dementias.
“As the population of Minnesota ages, it’s becoming increasingly important to build support systems for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s,” said Olivia Mastry, executive lead for ACT on Alzheimer’s and also an Ecumen board member. “Some of the most exciting innovations will emerge from this community work.
“Creating dementia-friendly communities means that caregivers are supported and people with dementia are able to live in the community and stay out of institutional care longer,” Mastry said. “That helps everyone – families and taxpayers who pay for institutional care, employers who have workers trying to balance all the demands of caregiving, and the individuals themselves.”
Janet Green, executive director of Ecumen Detroit Lakes, said: “We have a long history of supporting community members with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, and this generous grant gives us the ability to even further enhance our programs. What a wonderful recognition in our 50th anniversary year serving the Detroit Lakes community.”
Green said Ecumen Detroit Lakes has had Alzheimer’s support groups for more than 15 years, and started its memory care community more than 20 years ago. “We have a strong commitment to this work and have been in the forefront dealing with dementia care,” Green said. “This grant will allow us to take our work to an even higher level.”
Ecumen Detroit Lakes was part of the initial round of grant recipients and initially will receive $5,800 to implement support programs. The amount could grow to $18,000 based on the success of the programs. For a list of communities receiving grants go to this link.
Ecumen Detroit Lakes’ grant is funded through Blue Plus (an HMO affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota), the Medica Foundation and Greater Twin Cities United Way.
More than 60 organizations are partners in ACT on Alzheimer’s. More information is available at www.actonalz.org
Ecumen Trustee Olivia Mastry Presenting on Act on Alzheimer's at Alzheimer Europe
L to R: Act on Alzheimer's Olivia Mastry, Executive Lead; Emily Farah-Miller, Project Director; Mary Ek, Project Manager
An Ecumen Awakenings colleague often uses this quotefrom Maya Angelou, relating it to Alzheimer's care: “When We Know Better, We Do Better.”
Learning and collaboration are essential to innovation in Alzheimer’s care. On that front, Ecumen Trustee Olivia Mastry is in Malta presenting at a Alzheimer Europe conference. Alzheimer Europe is striving to become the coordination and information center for all organizations working in this specific field, such as day care centers, sitting services, training centers for professionals and related organizations. They have some fantastic information, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with our European colleagues who share a passion for improving Alzheimer's care and making lives betetter.
Olivia is presenting in Malta on Act on Alzheimer’s, which is a very cool Minnesota effort that fosters collective ownership and accountability in preparing Minnesota for the personal, social and budgetary impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Olivia is the Executive Lead of Act on Alzheimer's. No single organization owns, finances or controls the initiative. The collaboration has more than 250 participants, including 60+ nonprofit (including Ecumen), governmental and private organizations, and works toward five goals:
- Identify and invest in promising approaches that reduce costs and improve care.
- Increase detection of Alzheimer’s disease and improve ongoing care and support.
- Sustain caregivers by offering them information, resources and in-person support.
- Equip communities to be “dementia capable” to support residents who are touched by Alzheimer’s disease.
- Raise awareness and reduce stigma by engaging communities.
“When We Know Better, We Do Better.”