In many Black communities, dementia is still too often met with silence — not because families don’t care, but because stigma, systemic barriers, and a lack of culturally relevant supports can make it harder to seek help early. This Black History Month, it’s an important moment to talk about what it means to be remembered, supported, and included as we age.

That’s where the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association (ACCA)’s Unforgotten: Black Seniors and Dementia Matters project comes in. Supported through the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA)’s Building Belonging initiative, Unforgotten is focused on creating spaces where Black seniors living with dementia — and the care partners who support them — can connect, feel understood, and access dementia-inclusive programming rooted in culture and community.

Why this matters

Dementia can be isolating for anyone, but older Black adults and their families may face additional challenges that shape how they experience the health and social service system. These can include racism and bias, limited access to culturally safe supports, and community stigma that prevents open conversations about memory changes. When dementia education and services don’t reflect people’s language, traditions, faith, music, and lived experience, it can leave families feeling unseen — and less likely to reach out for help.

Unforgotten recognizes that inclusion is not a “nice-to-have.” Belonging can be a protective factor against isolation, and culturally grounded supports can make it easier for individuals and families to engage, learn, and feel confident navigating dementia.

What Unforgotten will do

Unforgotten is designed around a simple but powerful idea: community-led, culturally relevant dementia support strengthens wellbeing for seniors and care partners alike. The project will combine public awareness, relationship-building, and direct programming to create more dementia-inclusive community spaces.

Key elements of the project include:

• Community awareness and education to reduce stigma and encourage earlier conversations about memory changes.
• Lived-experience leadership, ensuring Black seniors and care partners help shape what the project looks like and what supports are most needed.
• Regular dementia-inclusive programming that reflects culture and creates consistent opportunities for connection and social inclusion.
• Training and capacity-building for volunteers, staff, and care partners so support doesn’t end when one program cycle ends.
• An Unforgotten Toolkit and Train-the-Trainer approach to help share what’s learned and sustain the work over time.

This approach also aligns with Building Belonging’s broader goal: supporting community partners to develop models of dementia-inclusive belonging that can grow and be adapted across settings.

Black History Month: remembering, honouring, acting

Black History Month is about honouring contributions, stories, and resilience — and it also challenges us to look honestly at inequities that persist today. Unforgotten is a practical, community-driven response to those inequities. It centres dignity, cultural identity, and relationship, creating pathways for Black seniors living with dementia to be supported in ways that feel familiar and respectful.

Unforgotten is supported by the Building Belonging program at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA). Building Belonging is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.