Topsfield Fair Works To Be 'Dementia Friendly'

PEABODY, MA - From Topsfield Fair: For its 200th anniversary year, the Topsfield Fair will break new ground as the first agricultural fair in the country to offer a more manageable Fair experience to those living with dementia and to support their caregivers. Partnering with the “Dementia Friendly Topsfield” movement, they will educate volunteers and staff on how to help make the experience enjoyable.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in ten Massachusetts adults over the age of 65 will live with some form of dementia, an overall term which includes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory and other thinking skills beyond the results of normal aging.

Topsfield’s Council on Aging (COA) Director Paula Burke estimates 170 Topsfield residents live with dementia and rely on assistance with everyday activities. A growing subcommittee of the COA since November of 2017, “Dementia Friendly Topsfield” has offered information sessions and training to over 600 municipal employees, volunteers and residents with the vision to “see the person, not the dementia.”

The Topsfield Fair will unveil its multiyear plan to create a user-friendly Fair experience for caregivers and their loved ones living with dementia over its 11-day run.

“Topsfield Fair General Manager, James O’Brien, has been very forward thinking and a leader in his industry with his support of the Dementia Friendly movement” remarked Topsfield Co-Chair and Selectwoman Lynne Bermudez at the Topsfield Fair’s Volunteer Picnic in July, where over 300 people heard about the top ten signs of dementia and communication tips as they interact with fairgoers living with dementia.

“The Fair is a unique attraction with an abundance of sights, sounds, crowds and varied landscape that can’t be changed,” admits Topsfield Fair volunteer Karen Moniz. “There are ways, however, to lessen those challenges and help a caregiver plan a manageable and fun Fair experience.” A link on the Topsfield Fair website www.topsfieldfair.org will lead caregivers to a “Dementia Friendly (DF) Fair Map” identifying a direct path to highlights, restrooms, DF food vendors and DF visitor tips.

Both the Topsfield Congregational Church restaurant booth and Topsfield Bakery’s Whoo(pie) Wagon booth have taken the lead in becoming the first “Dementia Friendly” food vendors, with staff educated in DF awareness and offering, when needed, a simplified & illustrated menu and extra assistance.

Surpassing the “grassroots” movement, Topsfield’s Dementia Friendly efforts have been recognized nation-wide. In the coming years, the Topsfield Fair will implement more DF features, joining the many sectors of the community ensuring a high quality, memorable experience, no matter how long the memory is held.

The 200th Topsfield Fair opens on Friday, September 28th at 1:00pm and will run through Columbus Day, October 8th. Ticket prices for the 2018 Topsfield Fair are $12.00 each September 28, October 1-4 and $15.00 each on October 5, weekends, and Columbus Day (October 8). Discount admission tickets are available at www.topsfieldfair.org through September 24, 2018. General Admission discount tickets can be purchased for only $10.00, which are good any day during the Fair’s 11-day run. A three-day pass, good any three days, is available for $25.00. Children under eight with an adult are free. Discounted food vouchers and ride tickets are also available when purchased in advance at www.topsfieldfair.org.

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