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UT HEALTH

SAN ANTONIO HAS A NEW

DESIGNATION:

DEMENTIA FRIENDLY DAY

By William L. Henrich, MD, MACP, President and Professor of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio

If you look at our city’s greatest successes, they have been accom- viduals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia,
plished by individuals and groups working together toward a com- and to provide helpful resources for their caregivers.
mon goal. A great example of this is the announcement that San While the designation is a reason to celebrate, it also is a call
Antonio is now a Dementia Friendly City. This designation, from to action for San Antonio to wrap its arms around those living
Dementia City America, was announced June 15 by our School of with ― and caring for ― individuals with this health challenge.
Nursing, which has been leading this initiative with the help of sev- As Alzheimer’s and other dementias are on the rise nationally and
eral partners. They include University Health System, the Bexar in Texas, most of us have been touched by these diseases or know
County Sheriff’s Office, the City of San Antonio, the Alzheimer’s someone who has. Perhaps your grandparent had Alzheimer’s.
Association and many others. Maybe you are caring for a parent with dementia while raising
This designation recognizes that our city has a grassroots initiative your children at the same time. Have you recently received the
in place to build a welcoming and supportive environment for indi- diagnosis yourself?

32 San Antonio Medicine • August 2019