Support Groups, Activities and Housing for Those with Dementia

Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio with

Jay Benedict with Cherrywood Pointe

Listen Below

Lori La Bey the host and founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio interviews Jay Benedict, Outreach and Sales Director for Cherrywood Pointe, an Ebenezer managed property.  This new community is located in Roseville, MN just off Lexington Ave just north of County Road C. Jay will discuss a unique support group called “Connections” he created in 2015, for those with memory loss and their care partners which meets monthly.  He also is an active member of the Roseville Alzheimer’s and Dementia Community Action Team, which is a grassroots effort making a big impact in it’s community as well as surrounding neighborhoods.    Jay has also worked closely with the Ramsey county library to bring the new dementia support system and tools called, “Memory Minders.”   Carol Jackson with the library has been leading this cause.  Jay is also working with his community and the Fire Department with a new virtual tool they have developed.

Contact Jay Benedict:

Phone:  651-766-2265

Email:  JBenedi1@Fairview.Org

 

Go to www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com for additional resources 

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One City Shares How & Why It Became Dementia Friendly

Roseville, Minnesota

Works Hard at Be Dementia Friendly

The Roseville Alzheimer’s and Dementia Community Action Team    (Rsvl A/D) has accomplished a lot since it launched in September of 2013.

• They have partnered with the city of Roseville, MN who has dedicated a page on their official website to the Rsvl A/D efforts, which is believed to be the first of it’s kind int he county.
• They have been providing regular free and highly attended speakers series called Caring and Coping which provides education to the public.
• They have partnered with the Ramsey County Libraries, who now host events, have developed a kit for families dealing with dementia called Memory Minders and who will be rolling out a Memory Cafe to boot!
• They pull together and disseminate educational and events in the community.
• They have a list of various types of support groups for those diagnosed, their care partners and those both can attend together.
• They post activities such as arts, music, dance, exercise, outings, memory cafés, social opportunities… for care partners and individuals diagnosed with dementia.
• Developed a Caregiver Survey in conjunction with the University of Minnesota
• Developed a new initiative called Dementia Caregiver Re-Entry program, for former caregivers and current care partners nearing the end of their journey. these groups offer an opportunity to move forward in life.  Partnerships with the School 623 District and the New Life Presbyterian Church made it possible to offer this program.
• Offering a variety of resources for caregivers and those diagnosed like: Advance Care Planning, Caregiver Coaching, Support Groups, Activities for People with Memory Loss and Their Caregivers, Respite & Adult Day Services, Research Opportunities, Grief Support, Safety Tips,  Travel Documents and Procedures, Shared Resource Tools and Social Work Assistance.

As a national speaker, media outlet and member of this group, Lori La Bey is honored to share this information with individuals and organizations not just in our country but around the world.

Below are videos from:

• The City Manager of Roseville, MN
• A Lieutenant for the Roseville Police Department in MN
• The Battalion Chief of the Roseville Fire Department in MN
• The Branch Manager of the Shoreview Library, part of the Ramsey County Library system in MN
• The Coordinator for the Roseville Area Senior Program which is part of the 622 School District in MN

Each of the above have joined the Roseville Alzheimer’s and Dementia Community Action Team to improve the cities dementia care culture.

Watch and listen to their thoughts on why it’s important to become part of the Dementia Friendly Movement.

City Manager Writes Letter To Encourage

Other Cities to Become Dementia Friendly

Hear from Families the Impact Roseville Has Had On Them

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Libraries Offer Memory Minders: A Kit for Caregivers!

Now available at

Ramsey County Library in Roseville and Shoreview:

Memory Minders: A Kit for Caregivers!

 Memory Minders are specially created for caregivers

caring for people experiencing memory loss

The materials in these kits are specifically selected to spark memories, create conversation and provide positive and engaging interactions between people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and their care partners. The kits are divided into high, middle and low activity levels.

Each Memory Minder kit is unique and features an interactive activity for use with those with memory loss (such as a puzzle, bingo, games or conversation cards), a book with colorful illustrations created for individuals with memory loss, a cd with music to soothe and spark memory, and A Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia by Laura Gitlin, which explores the use of activities and other techniques to prevent, reduce and otherwise manage the behavioral symptoms of dementia.

The Memory Minder Kits are available at the Ramsey County Library in Roseville and Shoreview, and be checked out for three weeks. The kits are renewable and requestable via the library’s catalog at www.rclreads.org.

These kits were created out of a unique partnership between:

Ramsey County Library, Roseville Alzheimer’s & Demential Community Action Team, and sponsorships by Cherrywood Pointe, Lyngblomsten, Sunrise Senior Living, New Perspectives Senior Living, and the Friends of Ramsey County Library.

Ramsey County Library – Shoreview

4560 Victoria St. N.

Shoreview, MN 55126

651-724-6006

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ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INTRODUCES REMEMBER TOGETHER

ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INTRODUCES

“REMEMBER TOGETHER”

National Public Awareness Campaign

Invites People to Recreate Photos of Cherished Memories, 

Encourages Early Detection of Memory Issues

at Free Screenings Nationwide

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a nonprofit dedicated to providing optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families, today launched Remember Together, a public awareness campaign that asks people to remember together the importance of keeping their cherished memories alive. The public is invited to recreate old photos of favorite memories and share them via social media using #RememberTogether. Photo recreations can be viewed at www.RememberTogetherAFA.org.

Remember Together supports AFA’s rollout of free, confidential year-round memory screenings at community sites nationwide. The rollout builds on the success of AFA’s National Memory Screening Day, which falls this year on November 18, during National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and which has provided memory screenings to hundreds of thousands of people since 2003. For a complete list of sites, visit www.RememberTogetherAFA.org.

“Remember Together is a friendly and impassioned call-to-action to the public to celebrate their memories, create new ones with family and friends, and help protect their memories and those of their loved ones by getting screened for memory issues,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “There is a persistent stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease that prevents people from talking about it and taking action that could ultimately help improve quality of life. We aim to reduce the stigma and encourage people to seek early detection and proper treatment.”

The Remember Together campaign includes a photo contest that awards monthly prizes. People can submit photos through Twitter, Instagram or www.RememberTogetherAFA.org. Two winners will be announced every month, one chosen randomly and one by popular vote. Each winner will receive a digital photo frame perfect for displaying favorite memories. People can vote for their favorites on the RememberTogether site.

AFA carries out memory screenings in collaboration with organizations and healthcare professionals across the U.S. Participating sites include Alzheimer’s agencies, doctors’ offices, senior centers, long-term care residences, in-home care agencies, hospitals, houses of worship, libraries, pharmacies, and other community organizations. AFA provides all the necessary tools—at no cost—so that healthcare professionals can seamlessly and effectively carry out the memory screenings.

Memory screenings are a significant first step toward early diagnosis. Screenings consist of a series of questions and/or tasks designed to test memory, language skills, thinking ability, and other intellectual functions. A free 10-minute memory screening can help reassure a healthy person or direct people who need follow-up testing to a clinician. Early detection allows people to participate in legal and financial planning discussions with their families, share their care wishes, and take control of treatment to improve quality of life. It also opens up options such as participating in clinical trials for drug and behavior modification therapies. It’s important to note that a screening result is not a diagnosis; rather, it can signal if a person should follow up with a physician for a thorough evaluation.

Remember Together supports AFA C.A.R.E.S. (Community Memory Screening and Awareness-Raising Education: The Road to Early Detection and Care), a new program to expand memory screenings year-round. AFA C.A.R.E.S. is made possible with a grant from the Edward N. and Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, based in New York, is a national nonprofit organization that unites more than 1,700 member organizations nationwide with the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families. Its services include a toll-free hot line staffed by licensed social workers, educational materials, a free quarterly magazine for caregivers, and professional training. For more information about AFA, call toll-free 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter (@alzfdn), and “like” us on Facebook.

For More information on Dementia and Caregiving

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