First Dementia Friendly Restaurant Night October 26th, 2021
Lexington— October 1, 2021 Dementia Friendly Lexington Advisory Board announced the launch, for local business to go through a training to become dementia friendly. On Oct 26th starting at 4:30pm, Lexington will host it's first Dementia Friendly Restaurant Night. In addition to this event, Lexington businesses can now get their Dementia Friendly Lexington Designation.
“This movement to make our city Dementia Friendly, has been a dream of Lexington native 99-year-old Virginia Bell” said Amber Lakin, Chairperson of Dementia Friendly Lexington Advisory Board. Virginia Bell, opened the Best Friends Day Center, is an author and world-renowned speaker on Dementia. She has been a pioneer in supporting dementia for the last 50 years. This movement is also supported by Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, many volunteers, and businesses. Not only is Lexington fortunate to have Virginia Bell and so many Lexington citizens supporting persons living with dementia, we have the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging right in our back yard. The Sanders-Brown Center on Aging works to improve the health of older adults in Kentucky through research, education and outreach dedicated to understanding healthy brain aging and age related brain diseases. Lexington is paving the way to our city becoming one of the best dementia friendly cities in the Dementia Friendly America network.
Positive Customer Impact
Businesses can participate in an 30-45-minute online training course along with a few other requirements to receive their designation to become a dementia friendly business. Ramsey’s, a locally owned restaurant, is hosting the first Dementia Friendly restaurant night in Lexington to be held on October 26th, 2021 at the Zandale location. A short ceremony will begin at 4:30pm. “We not only look forward to welcoming those with dementia and their caregivers but especially look forward to the exposure and learning experience our staff and customers might acquire as a result of our participation” said Rob Ramsey, Owner, Ramsey’s. “We hope to play a part in creating a more compassionate attitude to this ailment that could affect any of us going forward.”
What is a Dementia Friendly community? A city that is informed, safe, and respectful of individuals with the disease, their families and caregivers and provides supportive options that foster quality of life. Any business can register to become dementia friendly, once the business has fulfilled all the requirements, they will receive a Dementia Friendly logo window cling to be displayed at the business location and be part of Dementia Friendly Lexington network. We want to plant the dementia friendly seed and watch the dementia friendly Lexington logo start blooming across our city.
