UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Proud to Be a Founding Partner of Dementia Friendly America and its New Dementia Friends Initiative

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WASHINGTON, DC—Dementia Friendly America (DFA), a national collaborative representing the nation’s leading Alzheimer’s organizations, companies and advocates, recently announced the U.S. launch of the Dementia Friends program, a global initiative that aims to empower and educate individuals about dementia. UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, a funding partner of DFA, is pleased to be a fervent initiator and supporter of this effort to serve the millions of people and their caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Dementia Friends is designed to raise awareness about dementia and educate individuals and communities about how they can best support and interact with people living with dementia. The program accomplishes this via an online training that includes a series of short videos and encourages people to commit to take action.

“We are proud to be in the leadership of Dementia Friendly America and its Dementia Friends initiative. This innovative and forward-thinking Initiative will better equip individuals to recognize and support people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers in their communities,” said UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Co-Founder and Chairman George Vradenburg. “This unyielding disease is projected to grow immensely by 2050, and it will be even more incumbent on our neighbors to raise the awareness of the disease and to create compassionate and responsive environments for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.”

“Dementia Friends – a global effort that began in the UK – focuses on learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help,” said Ron Grant, a Co-Chair of Dementia Friendly America who is also living with dementia. “From telling friends about the Dementia Friends program to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.”

Dementia Friendly America, an initiative that was announced in 2015 at the White House Conference on Aging, is a movement that has been helping states and local communities build dementia friendly programs and resources.

Become a Dementia Friend by going to www.dementiafriendsUSA.org. Additional industry resources can help educate professionals who work in specific business sectors, including pharmacies, restaurants, grocery stores, libraries, first responders, transportation and banks. From there, visitors can become a Dementia Friend by committing to an activity that will help members of the community with dementia.

“As we build dementia friendly communities, it’s important to realize that dementia education starts with individuals,” Grant said. “Since there is no cure for dementia diseases and disorders, being a Dementia Friend will help those with these devastating conditions continue to live well in community.”

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UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is an innovative non-profit organization demanding – and delivering – a solution to Alzheimer’s. Driven by the suffering of millions of families, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s presses for greater urgency from government, industry and the scientific community in the quest for an Alzheimer's cure – accomplishing this through effective leadership, collaborative advocacy, and strategic investments.

Founded in 2010, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has worked across sectors to: (1) secure the national goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 and help secure nearly $500 million in additional public funding for Alzheimer’s research over the past few years; (2) drive global efforts that resulted in the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations, the G7 group, to embrace a similar 2025 goal and to call for greater levels of research investment and collaboration; and (3) forge industry commitments to improve efficiencies for an expedited drug discovery and approval process.

CONTACT:
Tim Tassa
202.263.2580
[email protected]