About DFTulsa

In 2017, Mayor Bynum committed to designating Tulsa as a dementia friendly community – the first city in Oklahoma to do so. Dementia Friendly Tulsa is an independent, nonprofit initiative. The volunteer-driven effort – part of Dementia Friendly America – provides information and programs that help Tulsans implement simple, proven best practices that foster livability and vitality.

Dementia Friendly Tulsa’s resources and tools, which are tailored for specific community sectors, especially benefit the growing number of people living with dementia and other cognitive impairments. Social stigma and lack of public awareness often makes life difficult for those living with dementia, as well as for their families and caregivers.

Mission
It is the mission of Dementia Friendly Tulsa to enhance the city’s inclusion and meaningful engagement of those with cognitive decline, as well as their caregivers.

Program Goals 

• Provide community-wide dementia-friendly educational programs that are free, grassroots, volunteer-driven, and support the development of related programs.
• Promote kindness, awareness and safety in interactions with, and in support of, people living with dementia.
• Align with the city’s Resilient Tulsa strategy by enhancing access to and involvement in the greater community’s services and activities by people living with dementia.
• Build bridges between those living with dementia and the Tulsa community’s social and supportive resources.

Local Impact
The growing number of Baby Boomers in the U.S. – those born between 1946 and 1964 – are prime candidates for dementia. Tulsa expects to see a growth wave in its Boomer generation during the coming three decades. Dementia, however, is not limited to older generations. More than 200,000 people in the U.S. as young as age 30 are diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s.

From 60 percent to 80 percent of all dementia is Alzheimer’s, a degenerative and always fatal disease. Yet, Alzheimer’s progressive impact on cognitive skills can take from four to 20 years. That means those with dementia are able to shop, participate in community activities, worship, play, handle business transactions, and enjoy fairly full social lives for much longer than society acknowledges.

The Dementia Friendly Tulsa initiative chips away at the social isolation people with dementia experience. It encourages respectful inclusion, access, and engagement across all community sectors. It is a means to transform Tulsa through understanding and compassion from all in our community.

Dementia Friendly America
DFAmerica is a national network of communities, organizations and individuals seeking to ensure that cities and towns across the U.S. are equipped to foster the ability of people living with dementia to remain engaged and thrive in day-to-day living. Dementia Friendly America is administered by USAging. Dementia Friendly America online

• Learn more about scheduling your program today!