A new initiative has come to Okotoks to make the town a welcoming, and supportive place for individuals with Dementia.

The Dementia Friendly Communities project from the Brenda Strafford Foundation is a two an a half year program design to bring visibility to supporting individuals to age in place, allowing them to remain in the community longer.

Jennifer Mallamo, Dementia Friendly Communities Okotoks Coordinator, says the organization will be out in the community educating residents on the new project over the next few months.

"First of all we want to create a base of awareness so we're participating in a number of community events, and just basically sharing with the community that this is good news, that we have the funding for this initiative. We're gathering a central source of what types of resources are available to people in the community, so there is an easy access point to getting supported to enable them to stay in their homes longer."

Mallamo says the foundation is working on creating a centralized website of all support resources in the community to create a one stop shop for caregivers, and those with dementia.

She shares another goal of Dementia Friendly Communities is to reduce the stigma associated with dementia.

"People struggling with dementia are just humans beings, we're all human, and this is just something they're struggling with. We want to empower them to have high aspirations, feel confident, and know that they can continue to contribute and participate in the activities that are meaningful to them."

Okotokians looking to get involved can participate in the new initiative, Mallamo shares even those not involved can help make the community a better place for individuals with dementia.

"Really it's just about visibility, that dementia is not something to be afraid of, the stigma exists and we want to dispel it. This is what people are struggling with, let's treat them with respect wherever they interact in the community, and be able to support them the best that we can."

The project will have its official community launch June 28, at Picnic at the Piano.

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