MAYVILLE — The Chautauqua County Office for the Aging is excited to participate in Home for the Holidays, a national campaign led by the Eldercare Locator (https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx) and National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (http://www.n4a.org/), in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/)and Dementia Friendly America (http://www.dfamerica.org/). The goal of the campaign is ensure that older adults and their caregivers are aware of the many local resources available in communities around the country to support individuals with dementia.

Launched every year during the holiday season, Home for the Holidays encourages discussion of important issues affecting older Americans at a time of the year when family and friends often gather. The new consumer brochure that is the focus of this year’s campaign, Living Well with Dementia in the Community: Resources and Support (http://bit.ly/2iZXEks), provides information on steps individuals can take if they suspect that a loved one may have dementia and highlights the many community services and supports available for both older adults with dementia and their caregivers.

As part of the national network of 622 Area Agencies on Aging (http://www.n4a.org/files/LocalLeadersAAA.pdf) (AAAs) and the more than 250 Title VI Native American aging programs, providing crucial home and community-based services and supports for older adults in virtually every community in the nation, OFA is uniquely positioned to enable older adults with dementia to stay connected to their communities and informed about services that can help them remain as independent as possible.

“The programs and services we offer keeps Office for the Aging on the frontlines of helping older Americans live with dignity and independence in their homes for as long as possible, particularly as they navigate the complex landscape of living with dementia,” said Dr. Mary Ann Spanos, Chautauqua County OFA director. “Our participation in this national campaign reinforces the local impact of our work to ensure that older adults with dementia and their caregivers have a place to turn for support. In addition, this campaign is helping us spread the word about a local initiative with the WNY Alzheimer’s Association and our WNY county partners in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Niagara and Wyoming sponsored by New York State Department of Health to offer increased services for Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia.”