Do you have dementia or care for someone who does? The Hamilton Council on Aging wants to hear from you

Residents of Hamilton and Haldimand who have dementia or are caring for someone who does are being invited to complete a survey about their experiences.

The Hamilton Council on Aging is seeking input from the community as part of the Empowering Dementia-Friendly Communities project geared toward fostering awareness and building inclusive communities for people with dementia and their caregivers.

The survey, which can be accessed on the council's website, runs until Friday, Nov. 6 at 11:59 p.m. The group is inviting diverse members of the community to participate and can provide printed surveys upon request.

Results will be used to develop action plans to create communities where people living with dementia are understood, respected and supported," and can participate in the community, according to a Hamilton Council on Aging press release.

On Aug. 13, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced that the Hamilton Council on Aging, a non-profit charitable group, would receive more than $810,000 over four years for a plan to help make Hamilton and Haldimand County more inclusive for people living with dementia.

The first stage involves speaking to community members living with dementia and their caregivers about the challenges they face and possible solutions. The Hamilton Council on Aging previously conducted interviews with community members which wrapped up at the end of August. The online survey is the next step in this phase.

People living with dementia and care partners can complete the survey at surveymonkey.com/r/HCOA_Survey.

To request printed surveys or other accommodations, contact Cheryll at 905-529-7030, ext. 214, or email survey@hamiltoncoa.com.

Maria Iqbal's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories focused on aging issues.