Our Dementia Friendly Community Program
On May 17th, 2016, Grayslake Resolution 860 was passed by Mayor Rhett Taylor to commemorate that Grayslake is the first community in IL to be "Dementia Friendly." The Dementia Friendly Community program is a grass roots effort to train local communities in how to work with people who have dementia. It is important to understand that dementia is actually a symptom of a disease such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and others.
Our Mission — The community program's mission is to create an environment in Lake County Illinois where people who have dementia or have loved ones with dementia can enjoy a better quality of life. We want to help remove a perceived stigma of dementia. Dementia involves memory loss and with that, people act differently which can be confusion to others. The aging population is booming and with it is an increase of dementia. Our goal is to make our communities a more friendly place for people afflicted with dementia. We want you to encourage businesses and organizations to sign up for FREE in-person or remote training to become a dementia friendly business. The training is built for First Responders, Businesses, Public Officials, General Public, and most important, those who have dementia.
Need help right now? Call us anytime at
(847) 984-0103
What is a Dementia Friendly Community?
A dementia friendly community is a place where people with dementia are valued, respected, and welcomed. The community and people with dementia recognize, respect, and understand each other. It is a place where people with dementia can live as independently as possible, and where they can engage in activities that many of us take for granted. One of the best parts of being a dementia friendly community is that the community as a whole knows to recognize when a person changes, and the changes are understood and accepted, with resources readily available to help if needed.
Many people are too embarrassed to take their loved ones affected with dementia out into the community but a dementia friendly community can be welcoming. People with dementia, friends and families will be welcome in a safe and understanding community.
How You Can Get the Purple Angel!
How do you become a dementia friendly community? First step is to commit to making your organization "dementia friendly" by asking questions and talking about dementia with others. At least 50-percent of your employees and managers need to be trained (free, in-person or remote) and committed to sharing their training with new members of the organization. There will be an agreement for annual on-site follow-up visits, and of course, a variety of reference materials will be provided. When you qualify you will have the "Purple Angel" logo to display and your organization will be recognized on our website. How do you get started? That's the easy part! Contact Right at Home Northern Lake County owner Mike Steiner and he will help you get started.