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Attendees press DeKalb officials for clearer rules on dementia and caregiver access at senior centers
Summary
Residents asked why some people with dementia are turned away and whether caregivers may accompany members; county staff said neighborhood centers require medical clearance and independence, and offered referrals to specialized adult‑day care.
During a question-and-answer period, several residents raised concerns about whether people with dementia may attend neighborhood senior centers and whether caregivers may accompany them. One attendee said her 98-year-old mother with dementia had been told she could not attend a center. "I have tried to take her to a senior citizen place... they said that we was not a memory or thing, and they put us out," the attendee said.
The CEO (speaker 1) and Charlotte Newton Danieley (speaker 5) explained that neighborhood senior centers are designed for independent members and that staff do not have the resources to provide hands-on dementia care. "We don't have the resources at the neighborhood senior centers to be able to accommodate people that have dementia," Newton Danieley said, and she recommended referral to specialized providers such as Royal Adult Daycare for memory care. Newton Danieley also said members "must undergo a physical before they come into the center" and obtain medical clearance from a doctor.
County staff committed to follow up with written clarification. The CEO said she would "put us on a communication together so we can address it" and send an email with guidance and next steps.
