[Article] How Education Builds Empathy

Reducing stigma and raising awareness about dementia begins with education—equipping people with the skills to respond to and include those with lived experience.  When communities invest in the kinds of learning that build these capacities, everyone—whether they’re living with dementia or not—can feel welcome, understand other peoples’ challenges a little more clearly, and be better equipped to offer meaningful support.

Across Canada, the six sites involved in the Compassionate Dementia Inclusive Communities (CDIC) project have been hard at work developing interventions and campaigns aimed at reducing stigma, raising awareness, and supporting dementia inclusion. The multi-year project, supported by Health Canada, integrates three social movements—Compassionate Communities, Dementia-Inclusive Communities, and Nav-CARE. Each site has formed interorganizational teams to coordinate and implement these targeted efforts focused on strengthening community understanding.

Early on, teams mapped out local organizations with whom they had strong relationships, then built out a variety of different public education campaigns, giving presentations to community groups at recreation centres, church halls, and local business associations; producing radio, social media, and newspaper awareness-building campaigns; developing flyers and brochures to distribute widely; conducting surveys; and attending myriad local seniors’ fairs to increase their visibility in the community. Some set up bereavement cafés and dementia support groups; others produced toolkits for caregivers. One team concentrated on strengthening communication between general practitioners (GPs) and community programs, educating GPs about the social resources around them to which they could refer patients. Having resource information readily available, in one place and from one central person, fosters confidence and less overwhelm for everyone.

There are other examples, as well, of interventions the sites built that modelled inclusion on a larger scale. One team hosted a public education event that turned the downtown core into a dementia-inclusive ecosystem. Local shops and cafes displayed dementia friendly signage, trained volunteers greeted the public and answered questions, and everyone enjoyed social activities and live music. Another team centered their efforts on helping people feel the dementia experience. They hosted an event with immersive activities that offered over one hundred guests a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live with the condition—and why listening to and supporting people with dementia matters so profoundly. In both cases, education was central—building awareness, normalizing conversations about dementia, and encouraging more inclusive attitudes and behaviours. As one CDIC team member put it, “when we talk about being a compassionate dementia-inclusive community, the first thing that comes to mind is to educate… and I think compassion and inclusivity is going to be the by product.”

Both events required months of planning and educational groundwork. Teams hosted community conversations, learning sessions for local businesses and community groups, and consulted with people living with dementia and their care partners. While the respective organizers approached their events from different angles, both succeeded in strengthening their community’s understanding and awareness.

Regardless of what strategy or initiative sites pursued, they all consulted with community members on an ongoing basis throughout the process, welcoming input on what would be most effective and beneficial, giving the community a chance to be heard, and further developing relationships and trust in the process.

In honour of International Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, we wanted to highlight the innovative and impactful work the CDIC project has developed on the ground to make way for dementia inclusion nationwide. When local communities are given the gift of education alongside an opportunity to better understand and empathize with folks living with dementia, everyone wins. Education and understanding build connection, which is the antidote to isolation and stigma. Authentic connection fosters confidence in those who may be hesitant to engage and gives people living with dementia a sense of safety and trust, building a sense of belonging for all.