Creating a compassionate community for those living with dementia.
Welcome to A Dementia Friend. Our mission is to enhance daily life not only for self-care, but for personal value, self-worth and enjoyment. We focus on the principles of Martha Calkins, an early leader in effective care environments and the activity within those environments based on Montessori principles.
Contact Us
Who is A Dementia Friend?
A friend is someone who builds a committed attachment. Attachment becomes difficult when memory impairment occurs. When the mind struggles to grasp connections, one’s emotions struggle to attach
or accept attachment. A Dementia Friend understands.
We work flexing with an individual based on their day and the need. We all have good days and bad days. Those days can be worse with memory concerns. A Dementia Friend strives to make each engagement a better day despite the disease. We are certified and licensed in environment design and therapy for memory-impairment.
Explore our Monthly Engagement Opportunities designed for Early to Mid-Stage Dementia:
All programs occur gratis/donation based.
Arboretum Garden Walk and Interaction: Keep Growing
Consists of a garden walk/tour with memory engagement, sensory smell and touch emphasis, and insect and bird watching. Touch and scent is further heighten by a monthly “take home” event in the Ability Garden.
Learn More
Creativity Through Harmony
Art and Music, the proven combination for both stimulation and relaxation with memory impairment combine to offer a time to enjoy a past skill or explore a new one. If music is one’s love or art in any form this program is sure to be a favorite. Monthly artist visits make up the 1 ½ hours together where we share memories, laugh and learn.
Learn More
Meet and Remember
Gatherings at city libraries to meet and remember engaging in memories from earlier years. This program combines the Memory Café model and Cognitive Stimulation Therapy in content. We may travel to different places and recognize favorite sights and music through discussion, images and sound. We may share favorite gadgets and tools we’ve always deemed useful. We may simply sing Christmas carols and pass our favorite cookies under the table. The monthly theme is based on the participants and the season. Fun prevails.
Learn More
Praise and Purpose
Monthly gatherings enhance faith with a mid-week program. With dementia one’s faith never falters. We’ll sing old hymns, quote scripture and review Bible truths shared with our children to honor and magnify our Creator God. When possible the event will occur with intergenerational involvement.
Learn MoreOne on One Engagements
The best quality care occurs in the home through family and caregivers working as a team. ADF can join the team to bring a common sense approach to safety, orientation, organization, and simplicity. Once in place, meaningful daily engagements can be developed based on the individual.
Learn More
Passionate, experienced care from multi-disciplined professionals.
We at A Dementia Friend host multi-disciplined backgrounds. Our founder holds a BFA in Design from VCU and Graduate work from Regent University in Psychology. She has spoken about space and program work both nationally for NCHD and within the state of North Carolina. She has hosted Memory Cafes and Art Programs based on the MOCA model. She also retains certifications/license work through Duke, UNC and Montessori. Our other team members have education, caregiver and psychology backgrounds to assist in making each engagement its best. Every hand retains the personal experience of working with dementia through previous work/ family care. Passion and understanding direct every aspect of programs and assistance we offer.
Contact Us