Madison Hospital is excited to be the first facility in our region — and just the fifth in the state — to be named a “Dementia Friendly Alabama” hospital.
This recognition highlights the hospital's ongoing commitment to adapting its care and environment for the more than 100,000 Alabamians currently living with dementia. 
Madison’s “Dementia Friendly” journey began with a 2019 conversation between hospital President Mary Lynne Wright and a close friend whose mother had Alzheimer’s disease. Frustrated by the lack of specialized hospital services for dementia patients, the friend asked Mary Lynne if she could do something to help.
That request led to the development of Madison’s Forget Me Not program, which aims to make the hospital a more welcoming space for dementia patients as well as their loved ones.
Every patient with dementia is now given a special ID bracelet, and a "Forget Me Not" flower magnet is placed on their door to alert all staff members to adapt their communication style. Purple pillows serve as another visual cue.
“These purple items really help remind our staff that they need to think differently, interact differently, talk differently” around dementia patients and their families, Mary Lynne said.
Madison's Forget Me Not program also includes:
- Dementia-sensitivity training for every Madison Hosptial employee who interacts with the public -- from nurses and patient care aides to room cleaners and cafeteria servers. The training includes a virtual simulation program, funded by a local corporate partner, that allows staff members to experience what it's like to live with dementia;
- Volunteer-made "fidget sleeves" with buttons and zippers to keep patients' minds and hands occupied so they won't accidentally pull out their IV lines or oxygen canulas;
- A hospital-sponsored support group for familiers touched by dementia;
- Forget Me Not community events featuring dementia-care experts.
"Since we opened our doors in 2012, we decided that we wanted to be different,” Mary Lynne said. “We’re making sure we get everything correct with those dementia patients because it’s important and it’s a growing diagnosis in the U.S.
“We’re trying our best, and we’re just very honored to be the first hospital in the region to receive this Dementia Friendly recognition.”
Delane Poague, the project coordinator for Dementia Friendly Alabama, said the goal of the program is to create more “dementia friendly” spaces across the state, with a special focus on hospitals, restaurants and other businesses. The effort is funded through a grant from the Alabama Department of Senior Services.
“We need to make safe spaces for those living with dementia and their caregivers,” Delane said. “We’re thankful Madison Hospital took the initiative to be dementia friendly … and to help patients navigate that journey.”
The other Dementia Friendly Alabama hospitals are Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Mizzell Memorial in Opp, and D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton.