Senior Living Information Blog

Navigating the Many Faces of Memory Loss - free presentation on Wednesday in Wilmette

Do you have a client, neighbor or friend who is caring for a loved one with memory loss? Or just someone who is just interested in learning more, please pass along the following. 

This is a free event. 

Aging Grace, Mallinckrodt/Meskill Center & The Mather invite you to join us for a conversation with Joanne Walsh Malleta, Director of Memory Support at Mather Pavilion in Evanston,  to discuss

"The Many Faces of Memory Loss: Navigating the Journey"

- Risks and Definition

- Communication

- Resources

- Creating moments of joy

 

 

Wednesday, April 27

10 - 11 AM

Mallinckrodt/Meskill Center

1041 Ridge Road

Wilmette Il

(entrance is on the south side of the building)

 

Joanne Walsh Malleta is a licensed social worker and the Director of Memory Support at Mather Pavilion in Evanston.  Mather Pavilion, ranked one of the best nursing care communities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, provides care for older adults who require skilled nursing care, memory support, and rehabilitation services.   

 

Aging Grace offers personal assistance to a wide range of seniors, from the most active to those with greater need for many of the non-medical activities that make independent living comfortable. Whether we are overseeing bill pay,  home maintenance and upkeep, scheduling appointments for recreation, or providing genteel companionship to complete other personal projects, we relieve senior's and their families of many non-medical activities to make independent living more comfortable. Our services leave time for seniors and their families to do the things that really matter.

 

Mallinckrodt/Meskill Center is an active adult program for the Wilmette Park District

 

Brain Fitness Programs for Seniors in Chicago

 
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
 
Hosted at Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly
            355 N Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60607
 
Free Seminar

 Presenter:
 Sheila Segal, MFT, Peer Counseling Program Director,
                      WISE and Healthy Aging, Santa Monica, CA



Reservations are required.  Register for this free seminar online or call 312.455.1000
 
Seminar Schedule:

Morning Session:
Professionals will explore the development of brain fitness programming to help the elderly maintain and improve their cognitive abilities.
 
Lunch Break
 
Afternoon Session:
Seminar participants will welcome 25 elders and will be interactive, sharing positive experiences in improving brain health as well as confronting obstacles to learning something new.  There will be an exploration of how these new skills might be utilized to improve quality of life.
 

Northwest Indiana Alzheimer's Assocation Memory walk this weekend!

If you are in Northwest Indiana and want to participate here are the details...

Welcome to 2010 Memory Walk - Merrillville, IN

Where:
Hidden Lake Park
Merrillville, IN

When:
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Registration at 12:30 pm
Walk begins at 1:30 pm

Length:
1 Mile Walk Route

Contact:
Email or Call Louise Thompson at louise.thompson@alz.org or 800.272.3900

Senior Living Experts own Jordan Bignell will be there so if you see him please say hello!

Hopefully there will be lots of sunshine for them.  We had rain at ours last weekend and I will post a an update on the Chicago memory walk in a little while!

New Educational DVD on Understanding Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's Safety

Understanding Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's and Safety is a two-program DVD packed with 50 minutes of practical advice for caregivers and people with dementia. This DVD was developed under the guidance of Alzheimer's Association experts and features tips from caregivers and people with dementia.

One DVD gives you two educational programs:

"Understanding Alzheimer's: An Introductory Guide" provides guidelines on diagnosis and treatment, as well as tips for everyday life with dementia. Topics covered in detail are: Getting a Diagnosis, What to Expect and How to Cope.

"Alzheimer's and Safety: A Guide to Planning and Preparation" outlines safety issues and helps with planning and preparation. This guide details what changes may be presented due to dementia, how to make your home safe, how to travel safely, medications and staying safe, wandering and driving.

Cost of the DVD is $24.95 and can be purchased by at the Alzheimer's Association Website here!

I know that I benefited by watching many of these types of videos when I first started working in this field.  Has anyone else had any experiences, positive or negative with these types of films?

 

Turning the Tables: Care for the Caregiver

Covenant Home of Chicago, Swedish Covenant Hospital and Galter LifeCenter, are presenting an evening of helpful information and tips on the joys and challenges of caregiving for a loved one.

Topics include:

-  Self help tips

-  Guided imagery and other stress relievers

-  The impact of caregiving

-  Tools to use with your loved one

-  Massage demonstrations

-  Respite care options and other available programs

Where?

Covenant Home of Chicago: 2720 W Foster Avenue Chicago, IL 60625

Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 6:30 P.M.

Please RSVP to (773) 506-6900

If anyone else knows of some great resources/tips for caregivers like this in the area, please let us know.  I know many people find them extremely helpful, how about you?

 

Eat, drink & donate - Raise money for the Alzheimer's Association Chicago Memory Walk

 Join the Alzheimer's Association in raising money the easy way June 28th & June 29th at Houlihan's located in the Shops of Uptown in Park Ridge!

20% of all food sales (dine in or out!!) will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association!

Download Houlihans flyer for Alzherimer Assoc  so they get credit!

Houlihan's is located at 550 W. Touhy in Park Ridge, phone 847-692-6205

New Early Stage Program that Northwestern's Alzheimer's Disease Center

The Memory Ensemble™: An Improvisational Theater Experience for Persons with Memory Loss is a pilot research program that offers individuals with memory loss a unique and enriching experience through the exploration of improvisational theatre.

As you may know, improvisational theater is a form of acting in which actors use techniques to perform spontaneously. No acting or performance experience is required!

We have worked with actors from the Lookingglass Theater to create this program. Focusing on the Lookingglass Theatre Company’s core values of invention, transformation, and collaboration, members of The Memory Ensemble will learn to use their instincts, creativity and spontaneity as they work together to explore and create improvisational theater. Workshops are led by Lookingglass Ensemble members and CNADC staff. 

Please contact Mary O'hara, MA, LCSW at 312.503.0604 or m-ohara@northwestern.edu if you know of anyone who might be interested in joining this program. Interviews are required. There is a cost to participate and scholarships are available.

Alzheimer's Association Action Summit 2010

Yesterday, more than 600 advocates from around the country marched on Capitol Hill to advocate for vital Alzheimer issues. Amplify their VOICE by e-mailing your members of Congress to urge them to make the disease a national priority.

Will you help them? Write Congress now!

Tell them to pass:

The Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 (S. 1492/H.R. 3286), authorizing $2 billion in research funding for Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's Detection, Diagnosis, Care and Planning (ADD-CAP) Act, which will provide Medicare reimbursement to increase detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

The National Alzheimer's Project Act (S. 3036/H.R. 4689) that calls for an integrated federal campaign to overcome Alzheimer's disease.

Now is the time to act. Contact your members of Congress today, then forward this message onto others concerned about Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's Association 2010 Family Forum - April 10

Please consider joining the great people at the Alzheimer's Association for a half day event for those affected by memory loss.

This great event includes a session that will update you on today's current research in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.  The second session is a presentation focused on providing caregivers with a framework for negotiating difficult circumstances in order to relive stress and maintain important relationships with those with memory loss.  The final session of the day will look at different personality types and their impact on our everyday lives.  Effective communication to compliment personality types within the family (to prevent caregiver burnout!!) will be explained and discussed.

In addition there will be Breakfast included and a resource fair going on through the day.  I have participated in this event in the past and the feed back from those who have attended is so positive.

Please consider attending if you are a caregiver of someone with the disease.

Date: Saturday April 10, 2010

Location: Harper College, Wojcik Conference Center, 1200 Algonquin Rd, Palatine IL 60047

Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 om

Registration:  To register call 847-933-2413 or visit http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/comm_education/prog_sign_up.asp?ProgramID=425

There is a $25 registration fee and I believe it is worth every penny and more.

Alzheimer's Support Group at Weiss Hosptial

This support group is open to family, friends, and/or caregivers who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's.  Several topics will be discussed, a few are:

• Challenges of caregiving for someone who had Alzheimer's
• Care for the caregiver
• Ideas for additional support

Nancy Tuzzolino is a senior care manager and will be facility the support group.  The group will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 7pm-8pm in the WISE Center at Weiss Memorial Hospital (4646 N. Marine Drive, Chicago, IL).  Please contact the WISE Center to register at 773-564-5666

This program is supported by the Alzheimer's Association Chicago Chapter. (800-272-3900)