Dementia Friendly Nevada Community Group

Dementia Friendly Elko County

Monthly Community Group Meetings:

Third Wednesday of each month, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Terrace at Ruby View, 1795 Ruby View Drive, Elko, NV 89801

Community Group Goals

Dementia Friendly Nevada Aspiration 1: Provide innovative brain health and dementia education.

Prioritize authentic partnerships with people living with dementia, especially in-person, through community interactions and social change
Address the many misconceptions and stigma around dementia.

Current Activities:

Dementia Friendly Elko County has recently partnered with Age and Dementia Friendly Winnemucca and the Alzheimer’s Association to create a support group for care partners in Elko County.
After spending 2023 focusing on brain health and person- and relationship-centered education, Dementia Friendly Elko County is excited to plan new activities for 2024 and broaden our impact!

Upcoming Community Group Events

Monthly support group for care partners!
- Caring for loved ones is a challenging responsibility. This “All-in-One Support Group” is designed to help you navigate the difficulties and joys of this 24/7 job. This support group aims to help participants share and learn from one another, beat the stigma of dementia, and connect participants with services and resource.
- First Wednesday of each month from 1:00 – 3:00 PM at the Terrace at Ruby View, beginning with an organizational meeting on February 7^th. Please reach out to Gini Cunningham at ginilc25@gmail.com for more information.

Community Group Member Spotlight: Kayla Ostler

Can you please share a little bit about why you became a member of Dementia Friendly Nevada?
I became a member of the DFNV group so I could look for ways to help the aging population in my community. I work with a non-profit company, N4 – Neighbor Network of Northern NV, that supports people with dementia and provides 5 free hours a week of respite for the caregiver.

What is one thing you wish others knew about becoming a new member of Dementia Friendly Nevada?
One thing I would like people to know about DFNV [and Dementia Friendly Elko County] is that it is a great group of people that want to support and encourage each other. You are not alone and this is a great place to go to learn, meet others in similar situations, and to just enjoy being with encouraging friends.

What is one of your hopes for how your community can become more respectful, educated, supportive and inclusive of people living with dementia?
I would like people with dementia to feel safe and comfortable going places in Elko and for there to be activities for them to enjoy and feel part of the community.

What is one myth or misconception about dementia that you’d like to dispel or clarify?
A misconception about dementia that I would like to clarify would be [making sure people know] that dementia shows up in many different forms and ages. It is not just in older people and it is not only Alzheimer disease. Come to our meetings to learn more!

What are three of your favorite things to do in your leisure time?
I was raised in Montana and came to Nevada eight years ago with my family to grow alfalfa hay. I enjoy being with older people because they have so many fun stories and life adventures to share. What a treasure they are for each of us that take the time to listen and learn from them. I also enjoy spending time in nature, exercising with my dogs, and reading good books. There are so many interesting things to learn, life is such an adventure.

Dementia Friendly Elko County members Rebecca and Polly
at a “Heroes Have Hearts” tabling event.