Ohio Council For Cognitive Health

THE MISSION IS TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS WITHIN THE STATE OF OHIO RELATING TO COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS AND CHANGES THROUGH THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS.

BASED ON THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF OHIOS DEMENTIA FRIENDS PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION AND CORRECTION (ODRC), ODRC LEADERSHIP ASKED US TO EXPAND THE INITIATIVE AND DEVELOP A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR, AND AVAILABLE TO, ALL 12000 EMPLOYEES ON THEIR LEARNING PLATFORM. WE DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED AN ON-LINE SELF-PACED PROGRAM ON RISE 360 WHICH IS NOW HOUSED ON ODRCS LEARNING PLATFORM. WE THEN ADAPTED THIS PROGRAM, AND IT IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT, WE BEGAN WORK WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERALS TASK FORCE ON MENTAL HEALTH IN THE JAILS AND HAVE NOW DEVELOPED SPECIFIC DEMENTIA FRIENDS PROGRAMS FOR BOTH THE JAILS AND CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS. AS AN OUTGROWTH OF THIS WORK, WE DEVELOPED AN EMPHASIS MORE BROADLY ON THE IMPACT OF DEMENTIA THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN GENERAL. THE GOAL OF THIS OVERALL PROGRAM IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL PERSONNEL THROUGH THE ENTIRE JUDICIAL SYSTEM: 1.RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE GROWING IMPACT OF DEMENTIA ON THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM; 2. CAN EMPLOY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES; AND 3. HAVE THE BEST RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES TO EITHER PREVENT OR RESPOND TO CHALLENGING SITUATIONS THAT RESULT FROM COGNITIVE CHANGES.

THE OHIO COUNCIL FOR COGNITIVE HEALTH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED BY DEMENTIA FRIENDLY AMERICA (A PART OF USAGING) AS THE STATE LEAD FOR CREATING, SUSTAINING AND GROWING DEMENTIA INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES IN OHIO. A DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY OR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY IS A VILLAGE, TOWN, CITY OR COUNTY THAT IS INFORMED, SAFE AND RESPECTFUL OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA, THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS, AND PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE OPTIONS THAT FOSTER QUALITY OF LIFE. (DFA)ALONG WITH OUR NATIONAL LEAD, DEMENTIA FRIENDLY AMERICA (DFA), WE ARE HELPING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR GREAT STATE BECOME DEMENTIA FRIENDLY. JUST AS WE HAVE WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS, WE ARE CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS BY COLLABORATING HAND IN HAND WITH MANY LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS BY DEVELOPING RESOURCES AND PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST THEM AS THEY NURTURE AND SUSTAIN DEMENTIA FRIENDLY INITIATIVES.AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, WE PROVIDE: SUPPORT FOR ADDRESSING DEMENTIA AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITY; INFORMATION ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH AND OTHER RESOURCES; A FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS MOST TO THOSE IMPACTED BY DEMENTIA BY INVOLVING PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS IN OUR HAND IN HAND APPROACH; A LEARNING COLLABORATIVE; TOOLS TO CREATE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS; STATE AND NATIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE; ASSISTANCE WITH OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT; SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE; EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS; EVALUATION GUIDELINES, METRICS, AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT; TREND MONITORING AND IDENTIFICATION OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES; AND A FRAMEWORK FOR MEASURING INPUTS, OUTPUTS, OUTCOMES, AND IMPACT.

THIS GUIDE PROVIDES A ROAD MAP FOR ALL LIBRARIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO BECOME DEMENTIA FRIENDLY. IT OFFERS A PATHWAY TO THE GOALS OF DEMENTIA INCLUSIVITY, SO IT IS USEFUL THOUGHT THE COMMUNITYNO MATTER WHAT ROLE A SECTOR PLAYS. IT IS A GUIDE IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD IN THAT IT OFFERS A PATHWAY TO THE SHARED GOALS AROUND DEMENTIA INCLUSIVITY AND COMMUNITY EQUITY,. THIS GUIDE INVITES LIBRARIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO JOIN TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THOSE LIVING WITH A DEMENTIA DIAGNOSIS, AND THEIR CARE PARTNERS, REMAIN ENGAGED IN THE LIFE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. IT INCLUDES 60 DETAILED ACTIVITY KITS THAT ARE INTENDED TO RETAIN PRESERVED ABILITY AND FOSTER NEW CONNECTIONS. THESE KITS CAN BE USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SETTINGS. THE 3-PART, 130-PAGE GUIDE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE IN A USER FRIENDLY HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE FORMAT.