Resources for Families - Dementia Friendly Orland Park

Orland Park IL

22 February, 2021

10:46 PM

Description

Dementia Friendly Orland Park  As defined by the Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.  Dementia is an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms and is projected to affect many more millions of Americans by 2050 Dementia is not just a disease that affects the person diagnosed but more so the entire family, both emotionally & financially. In 2020, the Village of Orland Park became a “Dementia Friendly” village by joining the ever-growing Dementia Friendly America (DFA) Movement through a group known as Dementia Friendly Orland Park (DFOP).  The DFOP is organized by a task force which includes representatives from the Orland Fire Protection District, Aishling Companion Home Care, local Government Officials Senator Bill Cunningham and Representative Fran Hurley, the Orland Park Public Library, Orland Park Police Department, PLOWS Council on Aging, Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce, Sterk Family Law Group, Kerlin Walsh Law and many other additional businesses in our community . The goal of the Dementia Friendly Orland Park program is to reduce the stigma surrounding this disease while providing and offering continual education and resources to families in need at a community and local level.  The purpose of each DFA village in this network is to provide a community that welcomes and embraces resident and family’s members suffering with this disease. You may have heard the saying “it takes a village” well this is certainly true for the Village of Orland Parks and its endeavors and efforts to make Orland Park Dementia friendly.  We will be working with local businesses such as banks, restaurants, and grocery stores to mention just a few in committing to making the village more Dementia Friendly.  There will be certain criteria for those businesses wishing to become Dementia friendly, including encompassing customer service training for their employees to include recognizing and assisting a person with Dementia so that their experience at the business location will be a favorable one.  We want to encourage our families to assist their loved ones with the ability to age in place safely in familiar surroundings. We invite you to get involved, be a Dementia friend, and Dementia champion. If you are a resident or have a loved one in Orland Park, please assist us in our efforts in getting the word out!  Please join our Dementia Friendly Orland Park Facebook page to get updates, like and share our future posts.  If you are not on Facebook and want more information on how to get involved or to learn more, you may contact Aishling Dalton Kelly at [email protected] or Betsy Dine at [email protected] We have so much to offer...so let us get the word out together