Natalie's Everyday Heroes: Ozaukee County trains businesses to be dementia-friendly

 

OZAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Ozaukee County is offering dementia-friendly business training to organizations across the county, in hopes of creating a welcoming environment for people living with dementia.  More than two dozen businesses have taken advantage of the free program so far. That includes one salon inspired by a long-time client's diagnosis.

There's a routine when you go to the salon. First, the shampoo.

"Our motto here is make everybody feel like they're at home," said owner Lindsey Greenwood. 

A new haircut, and a blow dry.

"We try to make it a really comfortable space," she said. 

Greenwood is the owner of Illuminate Hair and Spa in Cedarburg. She recently got a new appreciation for the familiar routine.

"We have a client that we noticed some changes in, happening pretty quickly," she explained.

Greenwood found out that dementia had brought on those changes.

"She can't speak, and she can't tell you how she's feeling," said Sandra Wycklendt, that client's caregiver. "She loves going to the salon and I thought, how is this going to work?"

Greenwood wondered, too. That's when she found Ozaukee County's dementia-friendly business training.

"So, they'll come out and train any business," she said of the training her staff completed in July.

And in less than an hour, her team learned dementia-friendly communication tips and skills. Approximately 2,100 people are living in Ozaukee County with a dementia-related illness, including Alzheimer's. It's a number that's expected to increase 77% by 2040.

The training includes information such as the 10 warning signs of dementia and how to offer help and communication.

"We've all now been trained, everybody on our staff has been trained to work with, understand, and interact with dementia and any special needs patients," said Greenwood.

It gives Wycklendt extra confidence.

"The knowledge and communication that opens up, too.  I could call up here and let her beautician know what's new," she said.

Illuminate is now the first dementia-friendly salon in Ozaukee County, creating an experience everyone can enjoy.

"We're here, we're here to help. We're here to make people feel good and I think getting their hair done is an important part of helping these people feel like themselves still," Greenwood said.

The training has been offered for free to businesses in Ozaukee County since 2017. Twenty-eight businesses have already done it, and three more have signed up to be trained in the coming months. For more information on how you can sign up, click here.

If you'd like to nominate an everyday hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].