The Fremont Area Alzheimer’s Collaboration will have a community education event Tuesday at Delaney Hall of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
The event will bring together Alzheimer’s researchers, health professionals, area businesses, caregivers, and people who are directly impacted by Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease, but an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Disease is currently the sixth leading cause of Death in Nebraska.
In addition, Nebraska is experiencing a rapidly increasing aging population. Due to the impacts of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias, the Fremont Area Alzheimer’s Collaboration wants to ensure the community knows the facts and are provided with the tools necessary to help individuals, families, and caregivers who are affected by the disease.
The event will feature renown speakers, health professionals, and researchers with years of experience working with individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The keynote speaker for the day will be Erin Bonitto who is a nationally known dementia educator and dementia communication coach with Gemini Consulting in Cold Springs, Minnesota.
Presenters for the Lunch and Learn Panel will include Melissa Heavican, service executive at Methodist Fremont Health; Rachael Nielsen, adult/geriatric nurse practitioner at Methodist Fremont Health; Sharon Stephens, executive director of the Nebraska
Alzheimer’s Association; and Nicholas Miller and Haley Kampschneider with the Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the first session for Aging Services Professionals focusing on care givers understanding the importance of using non-pharmacologic approaches for challenging behavior situations. This will be followed by a lunch and learn session at noon (lunch will be provided) featuring a panel discussion with medical professionals and Alzheimer’s researchers.
The final session for families and community caregivers will begin at 1 p.m. and the focus of this session will be “I Already
Told You….Don’t You Remember?” The event will conclude at 4 p.m.
The event is free to attend, and open to the public. For more information about this event or to RSVP please contact Katie at 402-704-2647, or email at katie@3rphd.ne.gov.
