Age & Dementia Friendly Integration Toolkit

While the age-friendly and dementia-friendly movements share community interests, goals, and actions, they are independent initiatives.  Age-friendly communities consider goals that promote a high quality of life for each person regardless of age, allowing for older people the opportunity to remain active in the community.  Dementia-friendly communities promote awareness of dementia, educating citizens about how to best support people touched by dementia and introducing systematic changes within businesses, government, and neighborhoods.  Communities initiating age- and dementia-friendly movements together can combine the positive benefits of the two initiatives.

By pursuing both the age- and dementia-friendly movements simultaneously, communities may avoid duplicating work required by both programs and may save time and money by sharing resources and funding.  While considering the specific needs of the community, this toolkit addresses the required steps for both age- and dementia-friendly programs by integrating shared activities to simplify the process of completing both movements concurrently.  Click here for a step by step guide.

Has my community committed to becoming dementia-friendly?

Click here if you are interested in integrating dementia-friendly activities into a preexisting age-friendly program.

For toolkit information specific to the dementia friendly initiative, visit the Dementia Friendly America website.