The Dementia Friendly Community Initiative of Walworth County recently announced the Town of Delavan Police Department has been awarded the Purple Angel for completing the training program for first responders.
The training is an extensive course on how best to interact with those individuals with Alzheimer’s as well as their care partners to help reduce stressful situations. Nearly all of the police departments in the county have now undergone the training.
Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act and talk about Alzheimer’s and dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom it is now spreading across the United States. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects families, everyone can make a difference for people affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The Purple Angel is an International symbol recognized around the world to identify individuals, organizations and businesses trained to know how to work with those people who have dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as their care partners.
“Our goal is to provide all business’ individuals, organizations and first responders in the county with this important training as the population grows older,” organizers said.
Currently, more than 2,000 people with Alzheimer’s or related dementia in Walworth County and over 5.5 million, nation-wide. A 31 percent increase is expected by 2025, according to projections from the Alzheimer’s Association.
The DFCI – Walworth County, now incorporated as a non-profit, will continue to provide free training programs to the general public. Watch for upcoming details. For information about these trainings, or how to get involved with the local effort, contact Bernadette or Eric Russow at 262-320-7325.
