Implementation of Dementia Friends in Washington State
Author Information
Author(s): Katie Zeitler
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
The implementation of Dementia Friends will improve community awareness and attitudes towards dementia.
Conclusion
The Dementia Friends program significantly improved attitudes towards dementia in participants and expanded its reach across Washington State.
Supporting Evidence
- Dementia Friends has 13.5 million participants worldwide.
- The program improved Dementia Attitudes Scale scores after sessions.
- The improvement in attitudes was maintained through a one-month follow-up.
- Funding from Washington state was approved for program implementation in 2022.
- The program expanded from 214 participants in 3 counties in 2019 to 2,170 participants in 24 counties in 2024.
Takeaway
Dementia Friends helps people understand dementia better, and more people in Washington are joining to learn and share this important information.
Methodology
The program utilized a train-the-trainer model to deliver information sessions and measured changes in attitudes using the Dementia Attitudes Scale.
Limitations
Challenges include cultivating community partnerships in rural areas and underserved populations.
Participant Demographics
Participants included community members from various counties in Washington State.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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