Dementia Friendly San Antonio

Our vision is an inclusive community for EVERYONE touched by dementia.

The mission of Dementia Friendly San Antonio is to build an inclusive community where everyone touched by dementia is respected, engaged, and supported.  We will achieve this by creating sustainable partnerships to facilitate change across our community.

Dementia Friendly San Antonio (DFSA) is a community-wide grassroots initiative lead by an advisory board of community members in collaboration with the Caring for the Caregiver program, UT Health San Antonio, who have come together to address the pressing need for an inclusive community that supports families touched by dementia. In the state of Texas there are over 390,000 Texans aged 65 years and older living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. With this number anticipated to increase 28.9% by 2025 we recognize the need for a community that is more inclusive, respectful, and safe where everyone feels included, engaged and supported.

Learn more about Dementia Friendly America

Who is involved?

Dementia-friendly communities include:

  • Local governments who plan and implement housing, transportation, public spaces, and emergency response that enable people with dementia and care partners to thrive
  • Neighborhoods and community members that learn to interact sensitively and create networks of support
  • Faith communities that are welcoming and have specialized programs, services or accommodations
  • Businesses and banking support for customers with dementia by accommodating cognitive impairment
  • Restaurants, grocery stores, and libraries that offer services and supports that foster access and independence
  • Community members learning to interact sensitively and create networks of support
  • Law enforcement and first responders that recognize signs of dementia and respond accordingly

Caregiver Corner

Embarrassment. Stigma. Isolation. Withdrawal. Fear.

That was my husband’s response to the devastating diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease in 2009.

So much has changed. We felt alone. We did not know who to turn to for help because of the stigma of the disease. This is a disease that families wanted to hide. You did not talk about it.

This is no longer true. As a community we have moved from darkness to light because of Dementia Friendly. Our community now recognizes that dementia impacts everyone! Not just the patient, not just the caregiver, not just the family! It has become more than an awareness campaign. It is first an educational process that then moves to ways to provide all types of community assistance to those impacted by this disease.

DF incorporates the community in identifying ways to validate the lives impacted by dementia. Tackling dementia requires the voices and efforts of everyone.

Dementia Friendly means we are no longer alone on this long journey.

Community partners