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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.
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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@loomiscommunities.org, or Rachel Tierney at (413) 539-5872 or racheletierney@aol.com.