Thursday, September 15, 2022 -
The Silver Tsunami is coming and if you’re running a business in Arizona, you need to become a Dementia Friend.
• Do you serve or do you want to serve the 55+ community?
• Do you know a family affected by dementia?
• Are you concerned with the quality of care our seniors are receiving?
Dementia Friends is a global movement developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom and now underway in the United States. The goal is to help everyone in a community understand five key messages about dementia, how it affects people, and how we each can make a difference in the lives of people living with the disease. People with dementia need to be understood and supported in their communities. You can help by becoming a Dementia Friend today.
Meet Phaedra:
Phaedra has lived in Arizona for over 23 years and now calls Gilbert home. Growing up, she lived all over the world, including time spent in Singapore and Venezuela. She settled in Edmond, Oklahoma and earned her B.S. at Oklahoma State University.
She comes from a background in retail management and decided to open her own insurance agency in 2010, with Farmers Insurance. After almost 10 years of successful business ownership, Phaedra decided to sell her agency and pursue a sales career. She now works for Gateway Restoration as a Professional Relationship Officer (PRO) and loves to volunteer her time in the community.
Phaedra serves on the Oakwood Creative Care (OCC) board, Mesa Leadership board and her Power Ranch HOA board. She loves spending time with friends and family, traveling and appreciating other cultures, and is always thrilled to beat the pants off worldwide competitors in Mario Kart.
In her 20’s, Phaedra lost her grandmother to complications of Alzheimer's. Phaedra saw the effects it had on her entire family, especially her grandfather, who promised her Memaw he would “never put her in a home”. He couldn’t keep that promise because of the vast health complications that come with Alzheimer's disease, and it broke his heart.
Through her relationship with Oakwood Creative Care, Phaedra has a deeper understanding of individuals and families affected with cognitive challenges and how to best serve them. OCC is changing the way people view dementia and laying the groundwork for true change in caring for those who are affected by dementia-related conditions, along with supporting the caretakers, who are usually family members.
Phaedra served on the NAWBO Phoenix board for six years, including roles as President-Elect, President, and Past President. Most recently, she completed a Dementia Champion course through Banner Hospitals and certifies individuals as “Dementia Friendly” through OCC.
