News
AAAs and Dementia Friendly America Highlighted in NYT Feature on Caregiving and Social Isolation
- By: USAging
- On: 08/10/2017 10:46:20
- In: USAging in the News
The roles that Area Agencies on Aging and the Dementia Friendly America initiative play in helping to address social isolation among caregivers were recently cited in a New York Times article, Caregiving Is Hard Enough. Isolation Can Make It Unbearable.
Social isolation affects many older adults and their caregivers – and individuals with dementia and their caregivers face their own unique challenges. Research indicates that the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
n4a is working on several fronts to address this pressing issue. n4a is pleased to be a part of the AARP Foundation's Connect2Affect initiative, a platform to help end isolation and build the social connections older adults need to thrive. Connect2Affect features research, tools and resources to help people evaluate isolation risk, reach out to others who may be feeling lonely and disengaged, and find practical ways for them to reconnect to the community.
n4a also administers the Dementia Friendly America initiative which supports communities around the country as they work towards becoming dementia friendly. Additionally, through DFA, n4a administers Dementia Friends USA, which encourages people to develop an understanding of what it is like to live with dementia with the hope they will turn that understanding into action. Learn more and become a Dementia Friend (it's free and only takes about 10 minutes!) at www.dementiafriendsusa.org.