Free · Open to All · Lincoln Park, Chicago

Become a
Dementia Friend

A Dementia Friend understands a little more about what it's like to live with dementia — and turns that understanding into action. Join over 250,000 Dementia Friends across the country.

250,000+
Dementia Friends across the U.S.
83
Lincoln Park friends trained
~1 hr
Free, self-paced training
Step 1 of 2 — Enroll

Start Your Training

Tell us a little about yourself so we can track Lincoln Park's progress. Takes 30 seconds.

Either way, you're welcome here! We track Lincoln Park participants separately for local reporting.

We never sell your information. Data used only for DFLP program reporting.

1
Enroll
2
Train
3
Complete
🎓
Certified
What you'll learn

The Five Key Messages

The Dementia Friends session teaches five essential, publicly-documented facts about dementia. These are the building blocks of becoming a more compassionate, informed neighbor.

1

Dementia is not a normal part of aging — it is caused by disease.

2

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain — not just memory loss.

3

Dementia is not just about memory — it affects thinking, language, behavior, and more.

4

It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia — with the right support.

5

There is more to the person than the dementia — they are still fully themselves.

The Five Key Messages are publicly documented by Dementia Friends USA (dfamerica.org) and widely cross-referenced nationally.

How the session works

Your Training Journey: 4 Steps

The official Dementia Friends online session is structured in four clear phases. Here's what to expect before you begin.

1

Pre-Test Reflection

A short reflection exercise to set your baseline before training. It's not pass/fail — no right or wrong answers. It helps DFA measure the program's impact over time.

~5 min · Optional
2

Video Segments & Interaction

Watch a series of video segments with real stories and expert guidance. Short response prompts between each segment help you engage deeply with the material.

~40 min · Core Training
3

Post-Session Evaluation

A brief evaluation survey to reflect on what you've learned. This is compared with your pre-test to measure your knowledge shift — another program impact tool.

~5 min · Reflection
4

Register & Receive Certificate

Complete your official Dementia Friends registration and download your national Dementia Friends certificate. Then return here to collect your Lincoln Park certificate of participation.

~5 min · Completion
Take the official training

Ready to begin?

The official Dementia Friends online session is hosted by Dementia Friends USA on their secure training portal. The session takes about 45–60 minutes, is self-paced, and available with closed captions in multiple languages including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Take the Official Training → dfamerica.org I've Already Completed It
A note on our partnership: The Dementia Friends program, training, and the official "Dementia Friend" designation are the intellectual property of Dementia Friends USA and its Illinois affiliate, the Illinois Cognitive Resources Network. We link directly to their official portal — we never recreate, copy, or replace their training. Your official certificate comes from them. Your Lincoln Park certificate of participation comes from us.
Step 2 of 2 — You did it!

Confirm Your Completion

Finished the official Dementia Friends session? Confirm below to receive your Dementia Friendly Lincoln Park Certificate of Participation.

Congratulations!

You've taken a meaningful step toward making Lincoln Park a more welcoming place for everyone living with dementia. Please confirm your completion below.

Optional · Your reflection helps us understand the impact of this training on our community.
Your reward

Lincoln Park Certificate of Participation

After completing Gate 2, a branded certificate is automatically generated and emailed to you. Here's a preview of what you'll receive.

Dementia Friendly Lincoln Park

Certificate of Participation

This certifies that

[Your Name]

has completed the Dementia Friends awareness training
and is recognized as a Dementia Friendly Lincoln Park participant.

Issued: June 2026
Initiative Co-Lead
Dementia Friendly Lincoln Park
Initiative Co-Lead
Dementia Friendly Lincoln Park
⚠️ Open Question for Sarah's Group — Certificate Naming: The wording above uses "Certificate of Participation." This is the safe default. If the Illinois Cognitive Resources Network (ICRN / ilbrainhealth.org) authorizes co-branded language, the certificate title can be updated to reference the official Dementia Friends program alongside DFLP. Contact info@ilbrainhealth.org to confirm authorization before updating this language.
For developers & administrators

Dashboard Data Contract

Every gate event writes structured data to Supabase. The admin dashboard and Looker Studio reports read these exact fields. Field names are identical across the page, automation, and dashboard.

enrolledPre-step (optional)
→
training-startedGate 1 submit
→
training-completeGate 2 submit
→
certifiedCertificate sent

Gate 1 — Enrollment (training-started)

nameFull name (text)
emailEmail address
zip_code5-digit zip (text)
is_lincoln_parkBoolean (yes/no)
status"training-started"
training_started_atTimestamp (UTC)
source"dementia-friend-training"

Gate 2 — Completion + Certificate

status"training-complete" → "certified"
training_completed_atTimestamp (UTC)
certificate_issued_atTimestamp (UTC)
certificate_idUnique UUID reference
Dashboard metrics: total enrolled, completion rate, drop-off, certs issued, completions by month, unique zip codes, Lincoln Park vs. general split, time-to-complete.
Awaiting human decisions

Open Questions for Sarah's Group

These items are flagged as requiring human decisions before the corresponding features go live. Everything else is built and ready.

1

Certificate Authorization

Can our certificate reference the official "Dementia Friend" program designation, or must it remain a "Certificate of Participation" only? Contact the ICRN at info@ilbrainhealth.org to confirm what co-branding is authorized.

2

Donation Entity & Processor

Which organization legally receives donations? Most likely The Village Chicago as the established 501(c)(3). Need legal name, EIN, payment processor choice, and financial disclosure language sign-off from Molly.

3

Memory Café Video Embed

The official "What is a Memory Café?" video (Vimeo, Memory Cafe Alliance) requires the embed URL to be retrieved manually from dfamerica.org/what-is-memory-cafe/ and embed permission confirmed with memorycafes@dfamerica.org.

4

Illinois Completion Tracking

Is self-attested on-site completion (Gate 2) acceptable for Lincoln Park reporting purposes, or does the Illinois Cognitive Resources Network require the official DFA system to be the final step for certified counts?