Growing Number of Wisconsin Businesses Work to Accommodate Shoppers With Memory Loss

More and more Wisconsin stores are trying to help shoppers with memory loss, reports Channel 3000 . The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County has been striving since 2013 to boost awareness and empathy for people living with dementia in the county, with the setup of dementia-friendly spaces so that people with memory loss can more easily obtain basic staples. The Agrace Thrift Store-West in Madison recently acquired "dementia-friendly" status, after staff and volunteers underwent Dementia-Friendly Community training from a certified "dementia practitioner." Participants become skilled in noticing cues suggesting customers or guests may be experiencing memory issues or confusion, which helps foster a welcoming atmosphere where visitors with dementia are treated with dignity and respect. More than 110,000 Wisconsin citizens have dementia, and this population will only grow as baby boomers age and human longevity improves.