Dementia-Friendly Baker County, an organization designed to help people with dementia live independently for as long as possible, has received an $11,400 grant from the Roundhouse Foundation to educate people who help care for dementia patients in Eastern Oregon.

Dementia-Friendly Baker County, which started in 2022, will have two local residents educate family caregivers and staff and care facilities in the tenets of a program called positive approaches to care.

The training will be available in Baker, Union, Grant and Wallowa counties.

The two-year grant will cover training for the two educators and pay for travel expenses and training materials. Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City has partnered with Dementia-Friendly Baker County to provide the nonprofit financial sponsorship required by the grant.

Beth Mastel-Smith, steering committee chairperson for Dementia-Friendly Baker County, said the Roundhouse Foundation grant will help “provide family and staff in our rural area with the knowledge and skills needed to help people living with dementia to be as independent as possible, have quality of life, and remain engaged in our communities. We appreciate Crossroads Carnegie Art Center for serving as our fiscal sponsor and making this funding possible.”

Dementia-Friendly Baker County has worked for the past year to support people with dementia and the people who care for them. The group has monthly programs at the Baker City Senior Center that have covered topics such as diagnosis, driving, medications, and behavior changes.

The next Education and Connection on April 25 is “Dementia Behaviors” with Mastel-Smith, a registered nurse, and James AhHee, an occupational therapist. The session starts at 1:30 p.m. at Community Connection, 2810 Cedar St.

The next care partner support group will be April 24 at 1:30 p.m. at Community Connection. A major community event related to dementia awareness is planned for the fall of 2024 in Baker City.