Dementia Friendly Wasco County gathered on Dec. 6 at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles to discuss different initiatives they plan to implement next year.
Dementia Friendly Wasco County gathered on Dec. 6 at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles to discuss different initiatives they plan to implement next year.
THE DALLES — Dementia Friendly Wasco County held its planning session for the upcoming year on Dec. 6 at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center in The Dalles. Facilitated by Scott McKay, local community liaison for Circles of Care, the group brainstormed opportunities to improve education, support and respite under the mantra “not about us, without us.”
There are more than 200 forms of dementia, an umbrella term for neurological conditions that cause loss of memory, problem-solving and other abilities, impairing daily functioning generally later in life. About 79,000 Oregonians aged 65 and older currently have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia and the sixth-leading cause of death nationally in 2019, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“If you’re working on planning a Dementia Friendly community, you need to have those who are living with dementia involved in that process,” said McKay. These communities operate under two core objectives: Reducing stigma and empowering people living with dementia by recognizing their rights and responsibilities.
In terms of education, the group discussed training business owners and bus drivers on how to best assist and interact with people who have dementia. A simple storefront sticker or chest pin could help older folks know who to seek out when they’re confused or need help navigating, which participant Diane Irwin readily supported.
“I did get lost driving, and it scared me to death,” said Irwin. “I was here in The Dalles, but I was out someplace — I had no idea where I was at.”
Thankfully, Irwin called a friend who guided her home, but she no longer goes on excursions alone anymore. Through an experimental trial at Oregon Health and Science University, Irwin got rid of her Alzheimer’s, but another form of dementia took hold shortly afterward.
Linda, who preferred to keep her last name private, moved to The Dalles this past January. She had a stroke in June, causing a decline in her memory; for instance, she couldn’t remember exactly when her children were born over Thanksgiving.
“I came here today because I wanted to find out what to expect in the future,” said Linda. “I gave a lot of authority to my two children, and I don’t like it … It’s not that I miss managing my own affairs, but I miss being responsible.”
Linda noted that she needed support scaling down or getting rid of things in her home that she no longer needs or uses. There were also talks of establishing a Seniors for Seniors program, which would match high school seniors with elderly people to help them complete errands in return for community service credits.
As for respite, the group discussed introducing something like the Sunshine Club in Hood River, a daytime venue where people with dementia can do crafts, exercise and go on outings together in order to provide relief to their caregivers, in The Dalles.
Dementia Friendly Wasco County will determine which of these initiatives, and many others, they want to pursue in 2025 at their next meeting on Dec. 20, 10 a.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center. Other related events include:
• Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a free six-session, evidence-based program on how to care for yourself while assisting a family member, friend or neighbor. The first session is Jan. 7. Contact Judy Villalobos at 541-387-1972 or Judith.Villalobos@providence.org to sign up.
• A Dementia Support Group meets the second Monday of every month at the Oregon Veterans’ Home, located at 700 Veterans Drive in The Dalles. Held from 10:30-11:30 a.m., all are welcome to attend.
Commented