Dementia Friendly Illinois and the Illinois Cognitive Resources Network hosted a Dementia Friendly Summit at Rush University Medical Center on Friday, October 9. The summit’s theme was Sustainability and Growth, with robust discussions focused on the strengths, challenges, and goals for Dementia Friendly Communities and exploration of ways to build lasting impact while fostering continued progress.
The event was organized and led by ICRN Lead and State Convener Raj Shah, MD, Social Worker at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center (RADC) Susan Frick, MSW, LSW, and Epidemiology Research Coordinator at the RADC Tarisha Washington, PhD. The summit built on a series of major milestones and recognitions from 2026, with Illinois passing 50 nationally recognized Dementia Friendly communities, over 15,000 certified Dementia Friends, and the recent announcement in September that Illinois has officially joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities.
The dynamic group of attendees consisted of community leads from nationally designated communities and communities working toward designation. These leads range from professionals within the aging sector, to dementia caregivers, to representatives from community organizations, all coming together and dedicating their time and efforts to improving the lives of aging adults and those living with dementia across Illinois.
We are so grateful to each of the attendees for bringing their passion and experience into these vital discussions, as we all work together to build an enduring and strengthening Dementia Friendly statewide movement.
To learn more about Dementia Friendly Illinois, including how you can get involved, click here. You can also join the movement by completing the online training to become a Dementia Friend at dfamerica.org/become-a-dementia-friend/.
