As the number of Indiana residents affected by dementia continues to grow, so does the need for communities to better understand dementia and better accommodate the challenges of those affected by the diseases that cause it. The Dementia Friends Indiana initiative–an outreach of Dementia Friendly America–seeks to educate communities across the state about dementia, break down the stigma surrounding dementia, and implement practical changes that make life easier to navigate for those with dementia and for their loved ones. The Dementia Friendly America program grew out of a 35-community Minnesota program called ACT on Alzheimer’s. During the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, Dementia Friendly America committed to expand to 15 states beyond Minnesota in a year. Over 48 communities across 36 states now have joined Dementia Friendly America and are striving to become dementia friendly. Each sector of a community has a unique role to play in contributing toward dementia friendliness, whether it is a hospital or health care settings, a business or retail locations, community-based services, faith communities, local government or residential care.
