![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-009-1024x683.jpg\")
G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\nInside a worship room of a west Fort Worth church in early February, Edward Smith and other congregants slipped on a pair of thick gloves, headphones and tinted glasses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The gear allowed Smith to experience the momentary feeling of having dementia. Tunnel vision. Impaired processing. Altered touch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every day tasks \u2014 such as buttoning up a shirt, folding laundry or following directions \u2014 were difficult.<\/p>\n
The training is designed to develop a better understanding of the challenges people face with the life-altering condition. At the end of the session, Smith took off the gloves, headphones and glasses \u2014 but people living with dementia can\u2019t, he said. It\u2019s one of the many trainings offered at the church, along with a transportation assistance program on the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s their life and when you go through dementia, one-on-one training, it\u2019s eye-lifting and it makes you have empathy for the people that\u2019s in that situation,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lesson was one of many ways the Gospel International Fellowship Tabernacle, or G.I.F.T. Church, offers resources and awareness on dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith recalled trying to navigate the illness alone as he was a caretaker to family members.<\/p>\n
His mom lived with dementia in the last five years of her life. At the time, Smith and his family didn\u2019t have the resources or know anything about it, he said.<\/p>\n
At his church, dementia was not often discussed within the walls of the sanctuary until about two years ago.<\/p>\n
During some of the initial conversations talking about dementia at G.I.F.T., Smith learned he was not alone. Other congregants raised their hands, sharing their own caregiver stories.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when Smith realized more resources need to be available for dementia awareness at the predominately Black congregation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found out that it\u2019s happening, but nobody\u2019s talking about it,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
Through partnerships with Dementia Friendly Fort Worth and others, the church is now a hub for caregivers and those who live with dementia. G.I.F.T. offers programs that give caregivers breaks, financial services and soon one of the first transportation assistance programs in the state specifically for people who live with dementia.<\/p>\n
Training for drivers begins in April, Smith said. The program is being done alongside Melanin Minded, a nonprofit that provides education to people of color who have a family member living with dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The pilot program aims to coach about 20 to 30 drivers on providing dementia-friendly transportation services with education on CPR and dementia sensitivity.<\/p>\n
A dementia-conscious driver isn\u2019t exclusive to knowledge of the condition, Smith said. Drivers will be expected to open doors, help clients into vehicles and have patience in high moments of stress.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to drop you off at the grocery store, and then you wait an hour,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe driver has to know we\u2019re there to take care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-007-1024x683.jpg\")
Pat Spence and Edward Smith stand by printed resources on Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia at G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
![\"(Maria](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-008-1024x683.jpg\")
Printed resources on Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia at G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n
Melanin Minded founder Bashir Easter described how he and his sisters were lost on how to best care for their mother when she was diagnosed.<\/p>\n
As he entered more into the dementia space, Easter began to learn about the racial disparities within the condition. Although no cause is yet known, Black people are twice as likely as their white counterparts to be diagnosed with dementia, according to the Alzheimer\u2019s Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n Easter launched a dementia-conscious transportation program when he lived in Milwaukee after realizing how people with the condition become isolated over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe person\u2019s independence, their dignity and their self-worth were being impacted,\u201d Easter said. \u201cRecognizing that, let\u2019s try to use the rideshare service. Well, we couldn\u2019t retrofit Uber and Lyft, so we created our own system.\u201d<\/p>\n Now living in North Texas, he wants to bring the same vision here.<\/p>\n Dementia care through faith communities\u00a0<\/p>\n Tarrant County leads the state in most caregivers for those with Alzheimer\u2019s or dementia, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n Embodying the role of a hub of information and resources for caregivers and those who live with dementia is clearly displayed throughout the church.\u00a0<\/p>\n Congregants sport purple T-shirts \u2014 a color often associated with Alzheimer\u2019s awareness \u2014 that say \u201cEducate. Equip. Empower.\u201d Walking inside, visitors are greeted by a library of educational flyers or exercises like \u201cBiblical Brain Games,\u201d a pamphlet full of brainteasers, puzzles and trivia games on Scripture.\u00a0<\/p>\n The material comes from Texas Health and Human Services or organizations the church partners with such as Dementia Friendly Fort Worth and Alter, a Georgia-based organization made to address the lack of resources and awareness surrounding dementia in African American and faith communities.<\/p>\n Churches have \u201calways been the backbone\u201d of the African American community, said Donald Hayes, bishop and co-pastor of the church. A lot of times, people feel more comfortable asking the church for help than other organizations, Hayes added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Being a place where caregivers and families can go to for resources and assistance is something \u201cthe church should be doing,\u201d Hayes said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just doing a service. It\u2019s really a ministry,\u201d Hayes said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most congregants have gone through the training, said Pat Spence, who\u2019s been a member of G.I.F.T. for the last 12 years.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important because it\u2019s needed, and people don\u2019t know where to go,\u201d Spence said. \u201cThe more we have, the more we do, the more we make ourselves visible, the more we hope that people will come over and start asking questions.\u201d<\/p>\n Spence said she hopes the efforts the congregation has made to offer dementia awareness resources and community programs can later be a blueprint for other churches looking to do the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re the first to do this, then we got to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-004-scaled.jpg\")
Edward Smith holds printed resources on Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia at G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-005-scaled.jpg\")
Pat Spence holds printed resources on Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia at G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0304-DementiaDriving-006-scaled.jpg\")
Edward Smith holds printed resources on Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia at G.I.F.T. Church & Ministries on March 4, 2026, in Fort Worth. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n