Good Shepherd Community Care is proud to partner with Alter Dementia to bring compassionate, patient-centered care into faith communities across Greater Boston and MetroWest.
Alter Dementia is an innovative program designed to increase awareness of dementia, build supportive and dementia-friendly faith-based communities, and provide meaningful resources for African American families navigating dementia.
Developed by Dr. Fayron Epps, Alter seeks to improve health outcomes, reduce stigma, and empower families who have historically been overlooked and under-resourced. As the first program of its kind, Alter plays a vital role in supporting both caregivers and individuals living with dementia by offering culturally relevant education, tools, and community-based support.
Together, Good Shepherd and Alter Dementia are working to ensure that all families have access to understanding, compassionate care, and a community that walks alongside them.
For so many people, their faith community is the place where they uplift more than just their spirit. It’s also the center of their social and emotional lives. But the impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can push those affected away from their faith communities for all the wrong reasons.
Why We Are Here
Our goal is to give places of worship and faith leaders the tools they need to ensure that all members of their congregations are welcome, supported, and accepted—whatever their burdens might be. Even if our sisters and brothers in faith lose their memories, we will not forget them.
Creating Inclusive Congregations
Faith Communities are not always aware of the needs of families affected by dementia nor have the access to resources that are available to support them.
What Do We Do?
Alter guides and equips predominantly African American places of worship to become trailblazing dementia-friendly faith communities.
We provide faith communities with:
