Huntington business owner: ‘Dementia friendly’ courtesies could benefit community

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — When businesses assess the needs of their clientele, dementia doesn’t often top the list, if it’s even considered at all.

But more than 5 million Americans suffer from dementia, with an estimated 70 percent of elderly cases caused by Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s projected to affect millions more as the population ages. By the sheer number of lives it touches – not to mention those of countless more caregivers and loved ones – dementia care is finding its way into business practices beyond simply health care providers.