Free Symposium will Educate both Healthcare Professionals and Family Caregivers
October 18, 2017 Houston, TX – Alzheimer’s and dementia professionals together with family caregivers are invited to attend the National Perspectives on Dementia in Houston, TX on November 17 - 18, 2017. The National Perspectives on Dementia is a joint partnership with the Houston Alliance to Address Dementia, BakerRipley, and the Alzheimer’s Association Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter. In recognition of the crucial nature of the information presented and as a gift to the community, the event is free to all.
An estimated 1 million Texans are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2017 Facts and Figures Report. Since there is no way to prevent, slow or cure Alzheimer’s disease, the burden of care can feel isolating and overwhelming. Developing skills and improving communication between providers and caregivers can help those living with and affected by dementia maintain a higher quality of life.
This two-day symposium will feature national and local specialists in dementia care. Expert speakers from Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Midwest, as well as local experts from Galveston and Houston, will converge at BakerRipley’s Ripley House to provide the most innovative research and care strategies for helping individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.
Each day of the symposium will have a different audience focus. Friday is designed for healthcare professionals who support individuals with dementia. The emphasis throughout the day will be to provide health care professionals with engaging topics ranging from “The Montessori Approach to Dementia Care” to Current Trends in Alzheimer's Disease Research. 5.5 CEUs for nurses and social workers will be available at no additional cost to attendees.
“Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias is exceptionally demanding,” says Reverend Katie Norris, the co-founder of the Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation for Brain Health. “The Montessori Method provides a unique toolkit that can help persons with dementia maintain skills and functions for as long as possible,” says Rev. Norris, who will discuss the Montessori Method as a strategy for connecting with persons with dementia on both days of the symposium.
Day two is designed for family caregivers. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with other caregivers and to develop skills that will help support them on their caregiving journey. To ensure that all caregivers are able to benefit from this enriching experience, complimentary on-site respite care will be available for loved ones.
Director of Scientific Programs and Outreach for the Alzheimer’s Association, Dr. Keith Fargo is traveling from Chicago to discuss the newest research surrounding Alzheimer's disease. “Alzheimer’s disease kills more people each year than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined,” says Fargo. “More than ever, Houstonians need to know the latest research on risk and detection of Alzheimer’s.”
The symposium will also feature a local expert panel that will focus on both self-care and how to care for persons with dementia after a natural disaster. “Alzheimer’s is relentless,” says Katie Scott, Project Director of the Houston Alliance to Address Dementia. “Hurricane Harvey exposed the anxieties and struggles that people with dementia and their caregivers face. The National Perspectives on Dementia Symposium will provide a space for sharing experiences, challenges, and moments of joy in the midst of the storm.”
For more information and to register, visit https://alztex.wixsite.com/dementia-symposium
What: National Perspectives on Dementia Symposium
Date: November 17 and 18, 2017
Time: Registration and Breakfast begin at 7:30 am
Location: Ripley House Neighborhood Center, 4410 Navigation, Houston, TX 77011
Who: Alzheimer’s Association Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter, BakerRipley, Houston Alliance to Address Dementia
Website: https://alztex.wixsite.com/dementia-symposium
