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Lexington strives to be 'dementia friendly' city

Posted at 10:21 PM, Jan 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-31 05:09:02-05

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — City leaders and community advocates gathered at the Lexington Senior Center Thursday night as they discussed their goal to make Lexington a “dementia friendly” city.

Dementia Friendly America is a nationwide movement that works to ensure communities are equipped to support people living with dementia, as well as their caregivers.

“Sometimes it’s just the simple things that make a person feel more comfortable,” said Virginia Bell, a retired social worker.

Bell is the co-creator of the “Best Friend Approach,” a model that develops interventions to help people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia live a more dignified life.

“That is what a person needs most: a good friend,” Bell said. “They need a relationship.”

Sitting in groups, elder care advocates and other community members collaborated on ideas to educate their neighbors on how to best engage with someone with dementia.