About RAFT Dementia Support Program

The RAFT Dementia Support Program is a new initiative in Northern Virginia that is part of the RAFT Program. This RAFT Dementia Support Program fulfills a vital community need for individuals with dementia and their caregivers to prevent psychiatric hospitalizations, and to provide comprehensive education and planning to improve caregiver resilience while improving safety and stability in community placement. 

Our Service

The RAFT Dementia Support Program meets with individuals and their family/caregivers in their homes and provides education, training and support to clients, family, and caregivers. In this way, families and caregivers learn essential skills to successfully manage the illness and accompanying behaviors, have access to community resources, and develop an action plan to prevent crises.

The RAFT Dementia Support Program is creating a Dementia Services Stakeholders Group comprised of organizations, government agencies and individuals to share ideas, resources, successes and to identify gaps in services in Northern Virginia. This collaborative group will ideally create a less siloed, comprehensive, and invested group concerned about individuals with dementia in Northern Virginia. This can result in a comprehensive list of the many resources available in the region.

Service Areas

  • Alexandria
  • Arlington
  • Fairfax
  • Loudoun
  • Prince William

Recent Events:

It Takes A Village: Supportive Conversations on Mental Wellness and Dementia – Hosted by Temple Rodef Shalom

RAFT partnered with Temple Rodef Shalom in Fairfax for a 4-part interactive, educational series on aging, mental health, and dementia. This training was designed for people of all ages to better understand what strategies and resources are available to support older adults in our community.  

 Part 1: Effective Communication
 Part 2: Stories from the Field
 Part 3: Introduction to the RAFT Dementia Support Program
 Part 4: Community Forum

For more information about training topics or to schedule a training either virtually or in person, please contact Sydney Palinkas, LMSW, CDP, RAFT Dementia Education and Outreach Coordinator, at spalinkas@arlingtonva.us or call her at 703-814-2701.