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Dementia Inclusion: Empathy, support, accessibility, support, understanding, compassion, respect and community are all what come to mind when I think of dementia inclusion.

We must educate, create support networks and adapted environments to provide personalized care and dignity. By providing these elements we will in turn contribute to an inclusive community where those with dementia feel supported, included and valued.

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Stigma, exclusion

dignity, range of symptoms, Universal design, social interaction and opportunity to participate

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Nonjudgmental

Accepting where they are and going there

Wellness approach

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A place where those struggling with dementia feel safe, included and wanted.

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A place where no one hears or says the words "don't you remember"

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DEMENTIA INCLUSION

A sense of belonging

Feeling a part of something bigger then oneself

Dignity

Activity

Lack of isolation

Engagement

Purpose

Involvement

Benefit

Enjoyment

Important to be invited in

Stimulation

Socialization

Reward

Enjoyment

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My Mom had dementia. She started with symptoms of depression, frustration that tasks like book keeping were taken from her. Resentful that she wasn't trusted.

Later, she became ANGRY that I removed her keys from her after observing that she was forgetting driving rules. "You just wait until one of your children does this to you!"

She was a ray of sunshine, smiles and happy spirit and was now so frustrated at the loss of independence it hurt! She had round the clock caregivers and felt a loss of privacy and independence. We moved her to a dementia living environment

where she had supervision but was given

AUTONOMY, INDEPENDENT CHOICE OF ACTIVITY, DIGNITY, COMPANIONSHIP GROUP INCLUSION, without needing to be functioning at 100%.

She was happy again.

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I have a friend who appears to currently have undiagnosed dementia but he is seeing a mental health counselor and he tells me they are "trying to figure out what is going on with his head". His wife of 60 years died a couple of years ago and this was a great loss to him and his family. At first everyone thought his grief was causing observable cognitive changes. But as time goes on I have observed this very sociable, active community leader decline in his ability to remember dates of events he plans to attend, even when they are written on his calendar. He is less inclined to text as he used to do but he can email.He speaks of feeling overwhelmed, confused, "lost in space". Other times he seems fine, like his old self. The book sent to me from the University of New England has been helpful in learning people's specific stories of how dementia affects the writers and how they cope and lead productive lives.

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My grandfather lived with us for several years and his loss of memory increased as the years went on. What first comes to mind for me is the loss of reality. He was living in an alternate reality. We had to live in his reality. I think the hardest for him was the loss of independence.

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Words that come to mind are mostly negative - inclusion is lacking, people living with dementia are often excluded, segregated, under resourced

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Apprehension, confusion are the words that come immediately to mind regarding helping community members living with dementia. Hopefully by taking these courses I will better understand how I can be helpful in engaging with others living with dementia so they can continue to be active and participating members in their communities. I have learned a little about living with dementia and how difficult it is from reading books that were given out at the September conference, but this is a complex and difficult subject. I am hoping that through further education I can learn how to be effective in increasing awareness of living with dementia and how we can increase inclusiveness in our communities.