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JOHN BECK
Lead Trainer / Dementia Friendly Culpeper

John Beck (above left) and his wife Carol’s experience with dementia began on January 1, 2017. That was the day they drove Carol’s Uncle Andy (above right), who had dementia, from New Orleans, LA to Tallahassee, FL to live in an assisted living center near their home. Over the course of the next three years they discovered many things about the disease which now affects one of ten older Americans. As caregivers, they discovered just how challenging this disease can be to the ones trying to keep their loved ones connected to their community.

Whether taking Uncle Andy to get a haircut, lunch, dinner, or even church—his behavior could be very unpredictable. As Andy’s disease progressed, options for taking him in public dwindled.  John’s background in sales and marketing led him to investigate local resources in an effort to find support for all of them. He spearheaded a program in Tallahassee which provided training for restaurants on how to recognize the signs of dementia. Eventually twenty restaurants opened their doors with a new appreciation for the challenge facing caregivers and their loved ones.

When the Becks moved to Culpeper in 2020 to be close to their first grandchild, it seemed like the perfect place to reintroduce the concept. Aging Together and the Piedmont Dementia Education Committee had for several years been hoping to start a Dementia Friendly Program, under the auspices of Dementia Friendly Central Virginia. With a tiny staff and large 5-county region, it was almost impossible to find the time to kick it off. It was serendipitous when the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce connected John to Aging Together and it's Executive Director, Ellen Phipps. Long story short, a partnership with the Culpeper Chamber fired the development of Dementia Friendly Culpeper. It was John who helped build the program's foundation, visiting businesses to encourage involvement and helping to create the initial training presentation and materials. In the first three months almost 40 businesses became Dementia Friendly and the number continues to grow. It has been gratifying to see how the Culpeper community has collectively embraced the support of those who struggle as well as those who care for them.

Aging Together, through the volunteer system, now offers a free, 30-minute Dementia Awareness training to anyone who interfaces with the public: retail store owners, bankers, doctors, dentists, etc. in addition to restauranteurs and their staff. We can come to your establishment to train staff, or you can attend a monthly "train the trainer" group session..

GINA MULLINS
Lead Trainer: Dementia Friendly Fauquier

"​Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve spent my professional career working with seniors in the healthcare industry.  In addition to working with seniors diagnosed with dementia, I had a loved one, an aunt, who we watched slowly slip away from the person that she was.  Dementia can wreak havoc not only for the individual but for the family too.  After seven years, my aunt passed away not knowing her family.
 
I believe in educating our community about dementia and making sure families who have a loved one with this disease feel welcomed no matter where they live."

Gina has been a volunteer with Aging Together's Fauquier County Team for a number of years. She works with Poet's Walk, Warrenton.