Every year on the summer solstice the ICRN recognizes The Longest Day, a national effort to shine a light on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. We invite you to join us in honoring this effort by learning more about the vital, grassroots work of Dementia Friends and Dementia Friendly and how you can get involved.
By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by the disease. This is the mission of the Dementia Friends and Dementia Friendly movements, that encourage us to envision an America where individuals living with dementia and their caregivers can live, engage and thrive in community no matter where they live.
What is Dementia Friendly?
Dementia Friendly is a national network of communities, organizations and individuals seeking to ensure that communities across the U.S. are informed and better equipped to understand and support people living with dementia, their caregivers, and their families. Dementia Friendly America’s mission is to increase dementia awareness, reduce stigma, and provide quality dementia-friendly resources, education and support that foster the creation of communities where people living with dementia and their caregivers can maximize quality of life and thrive in community with others.
What is Dementia Friends?
While Dementia Friendly focuses on the community, Dementia Friends works on an individual level, giving people and community members an understanding of dementia and the small things that they can do to make a difference, from helping someone to find the right bus, to spreading the word about dementia to family and friends. A Dementia Friend is someone who has a better understanding of dementia, will know how to engage with and support people living with dementia in their communities and workplaces, and has committed to taking practical action to help people with dementia.
How is the ICRN involved?
The Illinois Cognitive Resources Network (ICRN) was created in 2012 to develop a state-based model to help Illinois residents maintain cognitive health by accessing support services, education, research, and training programs. In 2017, when Illinois was recognized as a Dementia Friendly state, the ICRN was designated as the state Champion for Dementia Friends Illinois.
Under the direction of state lead Raj Shah, MD, of Rush University Medical Center and the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, the ICRN supports the Dementia Friends and Friendly movements in a variety of ways. The ICRN provides resources and networking opportunities for the fifty-two (and counting) communities across the state, including monthly meetings dedicated to sharing ideas. With the ICRN’s direction, leaders in Illinois seeking to create new communities are guided through their formation process and application for national recognition. Additionally, the ICRN has trained over 400 Dementia Friends Champions who conduct informational sessions throughout the state.
You can learn more about Dementia Friends Illinois and Dementia Friendly Illinois by exploring the ICRN website.
What Can I Do?
- Become a Dementia Friend! Over 15,000 Illinoisans have made the pledge. The online training only takes a few minutes but will make a world of difference for people with dementia in your community.
- Become a Dementia Friendly Community! Not sure if your community has been recognized? Check out our interactive community map. Learn more about the application process here.
- Keep the momentum going! Is your community already recognized? Here are a few ideas for how existing communities can continue to strengthen their efforts.
- Spread the word! Tell others about the work Dementia Friends and Dementia Friendly are doing across your community, Illinois, and nationwide. Not sure where to start? Follow the ICRN and Dementia Friendly Illinois on social media for easy-to-share updates!
