(gentle music) - [Christina] We're a close knit family, both my family and Dan's family.

And we only got married two years ago, October of 2023.

- My stepdad is probably the most stubborn but loving man you'll ever meet.

- And he's a very happy guy, even now.

He's very happy and he's a jokester.

- He has always been quite the family man.

He has been such a great grandfather to my girls.

- In 2015, he went through a bout with cancer of the tonsils, so then they had to do chemo and radiation.

Of course, we noticed the chemo fog.

Keys would be lost or a wallet would be lost.

- The doctors kept saying it's chemo fog, and I really questioned it.

I was hopeful and optimistic, I wanted to believe that it was the chemo fog, but there were just some little personality changes, a little bit more short tempered.

Now he was saying things a little bit louder and just that change in his personality, that was kind of the red flag for me.

- [Christina] In 2019, he had a mini stroke.

The primary care physician sent us then to a geriatric doctor, and that's when they did more extensive cognitive testing and that's when they determined that he had dementia and they felt it was Alzheimer's.

- There were several tactics in Aging Our Way PA, the 10 year state plan that came from the Department of Aging that referenced dementia, including the development of the new division at the state.

- I had such good guidance with my daughter.

- [Alison] I've actually been a support group facilitator for the Alzheimer's Association for many years, and it was during COVID that my stepdad was diagnosed and I had been facilitating a virtual online support group, so immediately, you know, pulled her into that.

- You know, we can vent, we can share tips, and of course they also, sometimes they'll have people talk to us, you know, specialists in different areas that will help.

- Dementia Friends, Pennsylvania and Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania are both programs of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.

Dementia Friends is a global initiative here in Pennsylvania, started in the United Kingdom.

We are providing education to community members to try to change the way people think, act and talk about dementia.

- [Alison] Some of the training programs, they offer those webinars and they've covered topics that nobody else is talking about, like guns and dementia and intimacy and dementia, driving and dementia is a big one.

- [Stacie] The hope is that people will become more supportive and more confident in the way that they engage with people living in dementia.

- [Alison] They've supplied us with business cards that say, "Please be patient.

The person I'm with has dementia."

And I know my mom has been carrying those around, and she'll slip them to the cashier at the grocery store or at the bank.

- Currently in Pennsylvania, we have 16 communities that have committed to working towards being dementia friendly, and the communities may offer education events for community members.

They may offer social engagement for people living with dementia and their care partners like a memory cafe where they come together, spend some time, and really be able to socialize and feel like they're engaging in everyday life.

- [Christina] That's a big help.

I mean, I've always had the family support, you know, and the visits and you know, what can we do to assure me that Dan's taken care of.

I need that.

- Before there is a cure, there are lots of supports in every community that can address the people that are living through dementia.

- Without judgment and just, you know, that validation that you're not alone.

(gentle music fading out)