Dementia Friendly Elgin Area

What Dementia Friendly Elgin Area does

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area (DFEA) is a private nonprofit community organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in the Greater Elgin Area of Illinois. Its mission is to strengthen and support individuals with cognitive changes and their care partners by raising awareness, reducing stigma, providing education, and communicating best practices around dementia. DFEA operates as a designated Dementia Friendly America community — Elgin was the 5th city in Illinois to earn this designation on July 5, 2019.

DFEA's core offerings are organized around three pillars. First, free dementia awareness training and certification for businesses and organizations — 40+ entities across healthcare, senior living, financial services, government, public safety, faith-based, and civic verticals have been certified. Second, social and support programs for caregivers and individuals living with dementia, including the Elgin Memory Café (monthly gatherings), Café de los Recuerdos (Spanish-language equivalent), Cafecito entre Amigos (collaboration with Gail Borden Library and Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center), the Music & Memory program, the Good Memories Choir, and StressBusting for Caregivers. Third, bilingual (English/Spanish) Resource Guides distributed through partner institutions including first responders, healthcare providers, and libraries.

The organization has no technology products, no AI/ML capabilities, and no disclosed software platform. All services are delivered free of charge. The sole revenue stream consists of voluntary donations accepted via PayPal and indirect fundraising through the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's. The organization is led by a volunteer Executive Board (President Glenna Godinsky, VP Cherie Aschenbrenner, Treasurer Kevin Hall, Secretary Valerie Reh) and a 25+ member Advisory Council drawing on affiliations with Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University, Alzheimer's Association, and Ascension Illinois Clinical Research. Operationally, DFEA functions as a community convener and capacity-builder rather than a service-delivery enterprise, with material dependence on Gail Borden Public Library as an operational anchor.

Name

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area

Legal name

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area

Website

https://dementiafriendlyelginarea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area is a nonprofit community organization founded in 2019 that provides free dementia awareness training, certification, and support programs — including Memory Cafés and resource guides — to caregivers, individuals living with dementia, and businesses in the greater Elgin, Illinois area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Dementia Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Dementia Companion & Engagement Care (HSABAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Memory Care Care Management & Navigation (Dementia Care Coordination) (HLADACAJ), Memory Care Adult Day Programs (Dementia/Alzheimer’s) (HSABANAC)

Keywords

• Dementia awareness training
• Memory cafe programs
• Caregiver support services
• Dementia friendly business
• Community dementia resources

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization relies on donations from the community to fund training programs and resources. They accept PayPal donations through their website and encourage generous contributions to support their mission of training organizations and businesses in dementia-friendly practices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area is a nonprofit community organization that provides free dementia awareness training, Memory Café social gatherings, bilingual caregiver support programs, and dementia-friendly business certifications. It serves individuals living with dementia, their family care partners, and local organizations across the greater Elgin, Illinois area through in-person programs, training sessions, and printed and online resource guides.

Product overview

Dementia Friendly Elgin Area is a community organization (not a technology company) offering a portfolio of programs and services centered on dementia awareness, education, and support. The core offerings include free dementia awareness training and certification for businesses, Memory Café programs (Elgin Memory Café and Café de los Recuerdos), and various support programs for caregivers and individuals living with dementia. These services are delivered through partnerships with local libraries, healthcare providers, first responders, and senior living communities. The organization does not offer a software product, API, or AI-powered technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dementia Awareness Training for Businesses

Quantifiable outcome

• 355 library programs delivered in 365 days serving senior living communities, developmental communities, and individuals living at home with care partners
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Dementia Friendly AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2019National organization that certified Elgin as a Dementia Friendly community on July 5, 2019, making it the 5th city in Illinois to achieve this designation. DFEA operates under the Dementia Friendly America framework and guidelines.
• Gail Borden Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey operational partner hosting Memory Cafe events, library programs, and providing staff support. Glenna Godinsky from Gail Borden serves as DFEA President. The library serves as a primary venue for programs and resource distribution.
• Rush Alzheimer's Disease CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic medical center partner collaborating on the Cafecito entre' Amigos program with Gail Borden Library. Provides health education, research-based information, and participates in Latino CORE Study initiatives.
• Alzheimer's AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational partner organization. DFEA participates in Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's events and promotes Alzheimer's Association caregiver support groups and resources.
• Senior Services AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal senior services organization that distributes Dementia Friendly Resource Guides and participates in the DFEA network. Adele Larsen serves on the DFEA Board representing Senior Services Associates.
• Elgin Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic safety partner that has completed dementia training. Detective Chad Benavidez participates in the DFEA Advisory Council. Department staff including Police Explorers have received training.
• Elgin Fire DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic safety partner with trained firefighters and Fire Explorers. McKayla Farinella from Project Fire Buddies serves on the Advisory Council and provides presentations at Memory Cafe events.
• Well Med Charitable FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation providing StressBusting for Caregivers program referenced in DFEA resources as a program for caregivers.
• Honoring AgingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMoving company for older adults that provides meals for Memory Cafe events. Tammy Bilek and Connie Bowman participate in the DFEA Advisory Council.
• Comfort KeepersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome care services provider that provides pizza for Memory Cafe events. Heather Determan serves on the DFEA Advisory Council.
• Assisted Living LocatorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenior care placement service. Allison Green serves on the DFEA Advisory Council and provides assisted living locator services.
• Dragonfly Sr NavigationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenior navigation services. LaVon Lenaway serves on the DFEA Advisory Council.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Music & Memory: National nonprofit that provides personalized music playlists for individuals with cognitive impairment. DFEA directly offers the Music & Memory program as part of its service portfolio, making it a direct program peer in dementia engagement services.
• Memory Cafe Directory: Online directory and community connecting Memory Cafes across the U.S. and internationally. DFEA's Elgin Memory Café and Café de los Recuerdos are listed in similar directories, representing a direct peer in the Memory Cafe model.
• Dementia Society of America: National nonprofit focused on providing support, education, and resources to those affected by dementia. Shares DFEA's core mission of community-based dementia awareness and support, serving a similar audience of caregivers and individuals with dementia.

Emerging players

• Amada Senior Care: National senior care provider whose representative (Kevin Hall) serves as DFEA Treasurer. Provides in-home senior care services with overlap in dementia caregiver support and senior care navigation services.
• Comfort Keepers: National in-home care services provider that has completed DFEA's dementia training. Serves as a partner that delivers dementia-specific care services, with overlapping focus on dementia support and caregiver respite in the senior care market.
• Well Med Charitable Foundation: Foundation that partners with DFEA to provide the StressBusting for Caregivers program. Shares focus on caregiver support and stress management for those caring for individuals with dementia, representing a peer in caregiver-focused interventions.
• Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center: Academic medical center partner collaborating with DFEA on the Cafecito entre Amigos program. Provides research-based dementia education and Latino-focused health programming, sharing DFEA's mission of supporting dementia-affected communities.

Broad incumbents

• Alzheimer's Association: National nonprofit providing dementia support, resources, and research funding. DFEA partners with the Alzheimer's Association for the Walk to End Alzheimer's and promotes their caregiver support groups, making them a closely aligned peer in the dementia support space.
• UsAgainstAlzheimer's: National advocacy and policy organization fighting Alzheimer's disease. Shares DFEA's goal of dementia-friendly communities and reducing stigma, operating at a national scale with overlapping mission focus on dementia awareness and caregiver support.
• Dementia Friendly America: National umbrella organization that certifies Dementia Friendly communities, including Elgin in 2019. DFEA operates under DFA's framework, making DFA the direct national parent/peer network governing similar community-based dementia initiatives across the U.S.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Dementia-Friendly-Elgin-100064646235718

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dementia Friendly Elgin Area