When many people hear the word dementia, they often think of someone who has severe memory loss and/or other cognitive impairments. People with dementia often feel alone, isolated and left out of events and social gatherings due to their inability to easily recall places and names.
Kelly Robeson, Director of the Bladen County Division on Aging, is a Dementia Friendly Champion and she met with the Bladen County Board of Commissioners on Monday afternoon in a Dementia Friendly training session.
Robeson said, “The vision (for Dementia Friends) is for people who have Alzheimers and Dementia to be able to be out in the community rather than at home.”
She gave five key messages regarding dementia. They are:
*Dementia is not a natural part of aging.
*Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain.
*It is not just about losing your memory.
*It is possible to live well with dementia.
*There is more to the person than the dementia.
She explained Dementia Friends is a global movement designed to help people to better understand dementia and how they can help someone who is diagnosed with dementia. Robeson said individuals with dementia can hold jobs, they can still drive and they can still attend church services.
Robeson asked each Commissioner to think of a word that describes someone who lives with dementia.
Commissioner Ophelia Munn-Goins said, “Family. I think more about the care givers and what it means to them.”
Commissioner Ashley S. Trivette said, “Frustration.”
Other commissioners offered terms such as consideration, age, and impact on the family.
Robeson next explained what is meant by the term dementia. She explained it is not a disease but rather a term which is applied to an entire set of symptoms. 
“The goal is to help everyone to understand the five key messages (of dementia),” said Robeson.
She gave some tips on changes that are not normal signs of aging. Robeson said changes in memory or memory loss are not necessarily signs of dementia. However, when memory loss disrupts a person’s lifestyle or they become dependent on a family member to help them remember things is a potential sign. Other signs include the inability to follow a familiar recipe or to drive to a familiar location such as the grocery store, confusion regarding time and place, misplacing things and not being able to retrace their steps.
Robeson said another sign is problems with words and difficulty understanding visual images.
She encouraged those in attendance to think of things they can do differently to be more dementia friendly. Robeson encouraged everyone to spend time with someone they know who has dementia and to share the things they learned especially the five keys to dementia.
She gave some tips for dealing with individuals who have dementia. They are:
*Treat them with dignity.
*Avoid talking about the past.
*Be patient and supportive.
*If someone is having trouble communicating, be patient and supportive and offer encouragement.
*Encourage nonverbal communication.
*Speak clearly with a relaxed tone of voice.
*Avoid confusing or vague statements.
*Reminiscing is helpful but avoid asking questions like, “Do you remember me?”
Robeson suggested one action everyone can take is changing the way we speak about dementia. She encouraged everyone to use positive words when speaking about dementia.
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