Dementia Friendly in Orange County
In the Fall of 2015, the Orange County Department on Aging announced the beginning of a major initiative aimed at making our community one of the most welcoming in the nation for patients and caregivers living with dementia. Alongside expanding services and resources across the county, federal funds allowed for the creation of a Dementia Friendly Business Campaign.
Under the leadership of Lorenzo Mejia of Acorn Homecare Services, the campaign has been successful in training local businesses to get certified as “dementia friendly” by having their staff instructed on how to recognize the signs of dementia and how to address the particular needs of caregivers and dementia patients.
Hillsborough Wills & Trusts has been a proud supporter of this initiative along with other groups and services who aim to make their businesses a place where people can feel comfortable and understood.
At the campaign launching, County Commissioner Earl McKee described the impact of dementia as “far reaching” in our community. In Orange County alone, about 2,500 residents suffer from Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The bigger picture is that an estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease today, with the expectation that this number will expected to grow to more than 7 million in the next 10 years.
Trained businesses like Hillsborough Wills & Trusts receive a circular sticker to post in the window to indicate that they are “Dementia Friendly” and ready to offer services.
If you are a business owner in Orange County and you want your business to become Dementia-Friendly, it’s only a 2-hour training session away. For more information, visit