12 Nov Fort Collins Magazine: Lost and Found
“It’s a vibrant Sunday afternoon in Old Town, and Beaver’s Market is brimming with customers. Among them, an elderly woman pushes her cart through the aisles, looking at items but not grabbing anything. She stops at an endcap, rubbing her forehead, frowning. An employee who’s stocking shelves nearby notices her uncertainty. He sets down his box and walks over, slowly approaching from the front and looking her in the eye. ‘Hi, how can I help you?’ he asks, speaking clearly.”
“The woman reaches into her pocket, cheeks reddening, and hands him a white business card. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t seem to remember where the spaghetti is,’ she says.”
“He glances down at the card, which reads, Thank you for understanding. I am living with dementia, above the logo for the nonprofit Dementia Friendly Communities of Northern Colorado (DFC-NoCo). ‘I can help you. Let me show you,’ he says, gesturing for the customer to follow. The two of them walk together and he points out the options; she happily chooses a box of penne.”
