By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

help reduce the stigma

Lacombe on the path to be a Dementia Friendly Community

Oct 7, 2021 | 1:58 PM

The City of Lacombe is looking to follow Innisfail’s lead, by taking steps to be known as a Dementia Friendly Community.

Realted: Innisfail received a special award last month for their efforts to become a Dementia Friendly Community.

Lacombe is currently in the process of moving towards that goal, partnering with Alberta Health Services (AHS), the Primary Care Network, Lacombe FCSS, and Alzheimer Society.

Alex Seefeldt is a community recreation therapist with AHS at the Lacombe Community Health Centre. She says a ‘Dementia Friendly Community’ means helping to reduce the stigma around illnesses like dementia.

“That includes businesses and community organizations being dementia educated to support them and creating community based programs to support them in the community as well.”

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It also promotes being inclusive and supporting those community members who live with dementia, as well as their caretakers, to make sure they’re able to stay in their community and “age in place” for as long as possible.

Seefeldt says there are already a number of services in Lacombe already helping to make the community more dementia friendly.

“At the Primary Care Network we have a geriatric nurse who does some of the cognitive assessments and helps the person living with dementia and their caregiver get referred to the Alzheimer’s Society. We have the ‘Opening Minds through Arts’ program that’s run by Lacombe FCSS, we have the ‘Minds in Motion’, and we have a dementia volunteer program at Ellis Bird Farm.”

She says this is a new initiative that’s just starting to take off, but adds she’s confident they’ll be successful. She said they are also looking to partner with the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre to eventually offer a music program.

“Right now our biggest target is to spread awareness and reduce the stigma of dementia in the communities, so we’re offering education sessions for business owners and community organizations.”

Those programs are already on-going and include digital information and videos you can watch at home. She said the most important thing community members can do to help out right now, is learn more about dementia and other related illness to help reduce the stigma attached to them. They are also always looking for volunteers to help operate some of these programs.

For more information, you can contact Seefeldt at 403-782-1316 ext. 1316, or email her at Alexandra.seefeldt@albertahealthservices.ca. You can also follow Lacombe Dementia Friendly Community on Facebook, or follow them on Instagram at lacombedfc.