What does the future hold?
Unfortunately for all of us, dementia isn’t going away. May 2020 will be our seventh anniversary and though we have come so far and accomplished so many things ~ there is still much more to do!
Looking at the statistics provided by the Alzheimer’s Association we currently have 5.8 million Americans living with some sort of dementia and by 2050 that number is expected to reach 14 million. Dementia isn’t going away so our team for ACT on Alzheimer’s Lakes Area is determined more than ever to create a dementia friendly community. Helping our residents stay in their homes longer and making an environment where the person living with dementia and their caregiver are accepted, supported, and welcomed.
Creating stronger partnerships with our area
Many people have been introduced to the ACT group, and have been given a basic understanding of what ACT is doing. In the year ahead we are going to build on those partnerships in our community.
We will be visiting businesses to convince them to include dementia training during their orientation for new employees as well as adding some training on a yearly basis for all employees
We will be offering presentations to various community groups offering education, resource assistance, and support to groups as well as individuals during their dementia journey.
Getting the word out
Even though we have been an active group in the area since 2013 we have discovered there are large numbers of people who don’t know who we are or what we do ~ so we’ll be upping our marketing strategies to get the word out and let people know what we do and that we’re here for them.
We will be more visible at community events, interacting on a one to one level as well as sharing resource and education information.
Expanding education on a broader level
During the 2018~2019 school year we were accepted into the curriculum of the Forest Lake High School. We feel expanding on that achievement is very much needed ~ we need to be on the curriculum of every high school within the Lakes Area.
We also plan on creating a program geared toward middle school and elementary school age children. The middle school program will most likely include a series of videos that could be easily shown to students including a question and answer period. We are hoping to include students themselves in the writing, acting, and production of these videos to ensure they are relatable and reach the highest number of students with the strongest educational message possible.
Becoming more self-reliant
We are now a 501C3. We have found that there are many grants and other potential monies that are available to us because we are now a fiscally independent group. The 501C3 status will give us the opportunity to seek funding from many sources helping us to continue to be a self-reliant and impartial group serving the Lakes Area.
Growing our Team
ACT on Alzheimer’s Lakes Area is very fortunate, after all this time we are still able to count a very large number of members that have been part of ACT since the very first meeting. Our team has grown more committed and more efficient as time has gone by. We have gotten to know each other, have become friends, and because of those relationships we are able to work more effectively toward a common goal.
With all these projects in the works and goals to be reached we have decided it’s time to expand our team. We live by the belief that many hands lighten the load so we are looking for some wonderful people to join our team and to call friend.
Our team members are asked to focus on one or two areas that they are truly interested in. This way the team benefits from the member’s abilities and enthusiasm and the team member benefits by doing work they enjoy and feel comfortable contributing to. Your commitment is what you’d like to make it. We can work with any level of participation that you are able to give. We believe that if you have some passion to make your community better, if you have an interest in learning more about this growing disease, and if you have compassion for those who are living with dementia, you’ll make a wonderful addition to the ACT on Alzheimer’s Lakes Area Team!!
