South Hadley Aims to Be Dementia-friendly Town
SOUTH HADLEY — People with dementia and their caregivers are often isolated and cut off from their community. A group of South Hadley organizations and town officials have begun a collaborative project with the goal of making individuals with dementia feel welcome to continue participating in daily life and routines.
Components of the project will include training for fire, police, town officials, businesses, and family members on communicating with someone with dementia; educational programs for individuals affected with dementia and their families; flyers and a website with resources for support and education; and enrollment in the Town of South Hadley Assist Persons at Risk Registry to help fire and police offer appropriate assistance to individuals in need.
A greater public awareness of these issues and resources will make South Hadley a dementia-friendly community and help assure that anyone who has dementia is treated with respect and dignity. For more information, contact Carol Constant at (413) 532-5325 or cconstant@
