Creating a Culture Change: Sector Trainings for Dementia Friendly Communities for East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging

Regarding dementia, the public usually does not have a clear understanding of what it is and what it entails. People use it interchangeably with Alzheimer’s, which is not the same; and people fear it as it is part of the aging process, which is understandable but not true. Both of these misconceptions and more can be countered by implementing a dementia-friendly community (DFC). DFCs are cities that bring together different sectors (banks, hospitals, libraries, etc.) to create a cohesive network of resources, with their employees trained to interact with and bring awareness to persons with dementia (PWDs). During my practicum at East Central Illinois Agency on Aging (ECIAAA), I created presentations called sector trainings that provided this information. Through this experience and dementia trainings provided, I connected what I learned on the field to my anthropology and community development classes