Norman McNamara is asking for volunteers to help take the Purple Angel worldwide. The UK is making great strides toward increasing awareness, and the Purple Angel has hit Florida thanks to Gary LeBlanc’s fantastic project.
Dementia Awareness Around Town
Now it’s time to make customer-facing BUSINESSES in the U.S. dementia aware.
Unless you’ve taken someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia out shopping or to a restaurant, you can’t appreciate how challenging it can be. People just don’t understand, and we need to change that.
Those who come in contact with the public on a regular basis should understand dementia, recognize the signs, and know how to treat customers who have the illness with kindness, dignity, and respect. The Purple Angel campaign can help…
Enter OstrichUK
The wonderful folks at OstrichUK have given this project a massive boost. Thanks to Ostrich (ostrichcare.co.uk) tens of thousands of distinctive Purple Angel stickers and information posters are now available for distribution.
The idea is for customer-facing businesses to encourage dementia awareness in their associates by asking them to read an informational poster. Once the information has been shared, participating shops and restaurants will receive a special Purple Angel sticker to display in their window. When customers see that sticker, they can be assured the business is aware of the special needs of patrons who suffer from dementia.
Get Involved!
Are you willing to do a little bit of legwork to help spread the word in your town OR are you a business who would like to participate? The idea is very grassroots and beautifully simple – and just imagine the power of this campaign if everyone were to pitch in.
To order Purple Angel Dementia Aware stickers FREE, email hello@ostrichcare.co.uk. The stickers come in batches of 50 and are accompanied by informational posters and basic tips for sharing. Remember to include both your email and postal addresses in your request.
If you are a business who would like to become dementia aware and proudly display a Purple Angel in your window, contact me at anapoletan(at)gmail(dot)com for more information.
And Speaking From Experience…
Let’s do this. As someone who has personally experienced the discomfort and awkwardness of taking my mom out – even early in her illness – I can assure you the Purple Angel campaign will make a positive difference to many families!
I’d give anything to hold her hand again. Such a simple thing, yet so often we forget it’s those simple things that matter when nothing else does. We lose sight of what is truly important as we go about our busy lives. But holding someone’s hand – that’s important.
It’s been raining in Ohio. Non-stop. Sheets and sheets of rain. Morning, noon, and night. In fact, I’ve heard rumors of arks being built all over town. But today, the sun came out, the sky was blue, and it was absolutely beautiful.
The Long and Winding Road... 