Loveland needs dementia visibility

The assault on Karen Garner forced a conversation on dementia awareness and training in the Loveland Police Department, but we have failed as a community to educate ourselves on dementia and families who take care of loved ones with dementia. Loveland’s demographics are shifting with 20.4% of the population aged 65-plus as of 2022 (census.gov) which is on track along with the the rest of the U.S. to outpace younger demographics for the first time.

It’s time to shift some resources to the aging citizens in our community. It’s estimated that nearly 9 million Americans will have a dementia diagnosis by 2030. Most persons affected by dementia live with family caregivers and are often unaware of dementia-friendly resources in the community. I am a manager at an adult day center in another town and a current master’s of social work student and often see family caregivers frustrated at the lack of resources to include them and their loved ones in community programs as well as a general lack of understanding about the disease process.

Loveland would benefit from a communitywide dementia education program so that we can support our neighbors and their loved ones living with this disease. I would like to see the senior center present a series on dementia-friendly resources for families to utilize as well as a program to educate business and community centers as well as citizens on how to interact with persons with dementia. It’s time for Loveland to live up to its name and show these families compassion and support so no one has to be afraid of their loved one being mistreated or left out.

— Melanie Mckinley, Loveland