engAGING Communities

About engAGING Communities

Promoting healthy brain initiatives and a dementia friendly community. 

In spring 2020, UTC School of Nursing was awarded a two-year grant by the Tennessee Department of Health to promote healthy brain initiatives in Hamilton and seven surrounding counties.

We're serving our region by promoting a dementia friendly community and elevating the quality of life for people with Alzheimer's or related dementias by connecting them with the resources they need.

While COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the planned programming for this initiative, it has also given core leadership the opportunity to develop sustainable interventions that will remain long after the grant programs are completed. 

What is a Dementia Friendly Community?

In response to the growth in population for adults aged 65 and older, leading organizations who serve and support older adults have spurned a national effort to equip communities with tools to support persons living with dementia and their caregivers. The term “Dementia Friendly Communities” represents leveraging stakeholders, resources and tools to equip all community sectors to support persons living with dementia (PLwD) and their caregivers.  

Geographic Area

The geographic area for proposed interventions by this project includes the following counties in Southeast Tennessee with their respective reported prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease and other Related Dementias: 

• Hamilton (11.8%)
• Bledsoe (10.8%)
• Bradley (11.8%)
• Grundy (11.7%)
• McMinn (11.1%)
• Polk (10.5%)
• Sequatchie (11.5%)
• Marion (11.5%)