FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM: [Name]

DATE: [Insert date] CONTACT: [Name & phone number]

[Community Name] to Hold Meeting to Discuss How to Prepare for Dementia with the Dementia Friendly America initiative

[Community name] is holding a meeting to learn more about how the community can work together to improve the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. Learn more about Dementia Friendly America and what [INSERT community name] can do to take action to improve opportunities and outcomes for people with dementia and their care partners. Please join us on [date] from [start time to end time] at [location] to explore how [community name] can become dementia friendly.

The number of people with dementia is increasing at a rapid rate — one in nine people over 65 years of age have dementia and about one-third of people over 85 have the disease. Communities across the United States are acting now to prepare for the increasing numbers of people who will have dementia as their populations age.

The Dementia Friendly America initiative is a multi-sector, national collaborative of over 35 leading organizationsi that are catalyzing a movement and set of best practices to foster “dementia friendly” communities across the United States to improve opportunities and outcomes for a growing number of people with dementia, their families and care partners.

A dementia friendly community 1) raises awareness of and develops respect and inclusion for people with dementia, 2) has services and resources embedded in all areas of community to ensure meaningful access to community and promote quality of life, 3) supports and educates people with dementia, their care partners and families from diagnosis through disease progression and 4) promotes meaningful engagement in community life.

Every part of the community plays a role and can work together to take steps to create a dementia friendly culture.  Businesses, such as banks and financial and legal services support customers with dementia and employers support employees who are caregivers

 Health care systems promote early diagnosis and options for ongoing care and support

 Communities of faith welcome and engage  Local governments plan and implement housing, transportation, public spaces, and emergency response that enable people with dementia to thrive in the community  Neighbors and community members understand and support  Residential care and community based supports offer a range of services to maximize independence and support ongoing community engagement with a variety of options adapted to cognitive decline.

The Dementia Friendly America initiative provides a system of technical assistance and tools and resources to assist communities and individuals take action to improve community and system capabilities, optimize the health, well being and involvement of people with dementia and their care partners, and support them to continue in their roles.

©2015 dfamerica.org Page 1 of 3 [Name key organizations that plan to be at the meeting] will be at the meeting. Everyone with an interest in preparing [community name] for dementia is invited to attend. More information about Dementia Friendly America is available at dfamerica.org.

©2015 dfamerica.org Page 2 of 3

Original toolkit development was supported by funding from the Greater Twin Cities United Way and later adapted from ACT on Alzheimer’s® developed tools and resources. Rev. 11/10/15 i