Collaborating for a Dementia-Friendly Washington: Moving Forward Together - 2023

Info from our 2023 Conference is below. Hope to see you next time!

Event Highlights:

  • Opening Plenary Session, "In Our Words: What a Dementia-Friendly Community Means." With Mary Ek, program director, Dementia Friendly America, and panelists Gary Ferguson, Jean Harris, Elsa Lee, and Sarah Parkhurst. Come together to explore what makes a community dementia-friendly through the eyes of people living with memory loss, family caregivers, and the perspective of a national non-profit focused on this goal. Video recording

  • Session 1A: Intro to the Dementia Friendly America Model | Mary Ek, program director, Dementia Friendly America, and Tara Hill Matthews, Aging and Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington. Moderator: Cathy Knight, w4a. Discover the key action steps and resources offered by Dementia Friendly America that can be used to help make your own local community more dementia-friendly, with a spotlight on a local effort in Spokane, WA. Video recording

  • Session 1B: Exploring culturally-celebratory dementia-friendly programs and initiatives | Karen Winston, Sr. Planner, Aging and Disability Services and Michael Woo, Social Worker, Kin On Health Care Center. Moderator: Beverly Kimmons, Alzheimer's Association, Washington State Chapter. Explore two innovative culturally tailored programs for older adults and people with dementia - the SHARP Seattle walking and reminiscence program for older Black adults, and the wide array of AAPI-centered services offered by Kin On.  Video recording

  • Session 1C: How to start a Memory Cafe program in your community | Beth Soltzberg, Founding Director, Jewish Family & Community Service Memory Cafe Percolator, and JoAnn Sharman, Community Health Nurse, Caring for the Caregiver. Moderator: Heather Steele, Northshore YMCA. A memory cafe offers social connection to people with memory loss and their families, through simple, regularly occurring social-meetups in comfortable settings such as libraries, senior centers, faith communities and restaurants. In this session, learn from the national expert on memory cafes about the benefits of this model and the easy action steps to launch one in your community, and enjoy a spotlight on a bilingual Spanish/English memory cafe in San Antonio. Video recording

  • Innovation Showcase: 2023 Maude's Awards Winners. Meet the nationwide winners of the 2023 Maude’s Awards for Innovations in Alzheimer’s Care, and be inspired by their efforts to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and caregivers. View recording

  • Session 2A: Using the Dementia Friends program for dementia awareness | Darya Rahbar, Program Manager, USAGing; Breana Dorame and Mary Ann O’Meara, International Association for Indigenous Aging. Moderator: Gary Ferguson, IREACH. Learn how to bring this simple, effective dementia awareness program to your community, by training community volunteers to offer 1-hour workshops that build understanding about dementia and challenge stigma. In addition, learn about a cultural adaption of Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native communities spearheaded by the International Association for Indigenous Aging View recording

  • Session 2B: Engaging faith communities in the dementia-friendly communities movement | Fayron Epps, Associate Professor of Nursing, Emory University, and Daphne Johnston, Founder and Executive Director, Respite for All. Moderator: Karen Winston, Aging and Disability Services. Discover two models that equip faith communities to support people with memory loss and caregivers: the Alter program model that empowers Black churches to provide resources and support, and Respite for All that helps churches start volunteer-led adult day programs View recording

  • Session 2C: Launching a dementia-friendly chorus: the Giving Voice model | Eyleen Braaten, Executive Director, Giving Voice, and Vladimir Garrido-Biagetti, Artistic Director, Centro Tyrone Guzman Senior Choir. Moderator: Lynn Crawford, HOPE Dementia Support. Learn the core principles of the Giving Voice model for developing community choruses for and with people with dementia, including a demonstration of a culturally tailored senior choir that takes place in Spanish.

Playlist of all video recordings from Collaborating for a Dementia-Friendly Washington 2023: Moving Forward Together

Planning Committee:

  • David Brown, Community advocate

  • Gary Ferguson, Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, WSU

  • Ginger Opdyke, Community volunteer

  • Jim Wilgus, Alzheimer's Association

  • Karen Winston, Aging and Disability Services - Seattle/King County

  • Kate Massey, Northwest Regional Council

  • Lynn Crawford, HOPE Dementia Support, Dementia Friendly Clark County

  • Lynne Korte, Aging and Long Term Support Administration

  • Marigrace Becker, UW Memory & Brain Wellness Center

  • Michael Woo, Kin On

  • TJ Vu, UW Student

Related Resources and Links