A Message from our Executive Director
Dear Residents, Families, and Friends,
Every day at Kensington Park, we are honored to love and care for your family as we do our own. One way we live out that promise is through our intentional approach to memory care: always putting the residents first, honoring their dignity above all else. Our team is dedicated to respecting the individual needs and wants of each resident, fully understanding that memory care is not one-size-fits-all. This essential approach is not limited to just those who work in our Groves community. It is the standard for every employee across this entire campus. When new staff members join the Kensington Park Family, they not only go through a full day of New Hire Orientation, but also an in-depth 5-hour dementia training led by our in-house experts: Associate Executive Director Iris Pierce and Groves Director Christina Keller. In this training, new team members learn about the history of dementia, differences between various diagnoses, as well as common signs, symptoms, and behaviors. Most importantly, our staff receives training on how to best care for someone living with dementia. We believe that patience, empathy and a whole lot of tenderness and compassion are vital when it comes to improving the quality of life for our loved ones, and there is no shortage of that on campus.
Because we take thoughtful memory care so seriously, we applaud any similar efforts happening in the broader community. Montgomery County, Maryland is an exceptional place for dementia awareness and expertise in thanks to a partnership with Dementia Friendly America, a nationwide network of communities that provides resources and support for people living with dementia as well as their caregivers. In 2015, Montgomery County joined the movement and officially became “Dementia Friendly.” Since then, the government, local businesses, and individual advocates have worked in unison to educate themselves and the public on the ins and outs of what it means to be age friendly. For example, the police department now trains all its officers extensively on best practices in dementia care—an initiative so successful it has become a national case study! We are so proud to be embedded in a county that is leading the way in dementia awareness. Truly, no community can thrive unless all its members are thriving!
Please help us make this campus and our county a more inclusive one! We ask that you Become a Dementia Friend today. The certification takes less than 10 minutes:
Visit: https://dementiafriendsusa.org/become-friend
Step 1: Watch the Overview Video. Then confirm that you have watched the video in its entirety by checking the box and select “next.”
Step 2: Watch the first video short: “In Your Community.” Then, confirm that you have watched the video in its entirety by checking the box, scroll all the way down to the bottom and select “next.”
Step 3: Fill in your information and select “I am a Dementia Friend” to make it official.
Step 4: Request a certificate (it will be emailed to you).
Post a selfie of you and your certificate on our Facebook page using the hashtag #DementiaFriend and catch Team KP doing the same throughout the month of June!
Warmly,
Mary