Efforts to identify veterans at risk of dementia intensifying locally
DAYTON Willie Norman Walker was a Korean War veteran who regularly read the newspaper, loved to do crossword puzzles everyday that challenged his thinking, and as his wife Edna Walker said, “was the smartest person I know.”
An Army weapons specialist from Georgia, Walker ended his military service in the 1950s. But during retirement, he started forgetting where he was putting things and “just to look at his face and see the disorientation I knew something was wrong,” Edna Walker said.
She took him to a Veterans Administration Medical Center to get checked. The diagnosis was vascular dementia. Walker was in his early 70s.
Webinar addresses Alzheimer’s communications, behaviors
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DAYTON – The Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter will host a workshop on how to identify and manage communication and behavioral changes when someone has Alzheimer’s disease.
Effective Communication Strategies & Dementia Related Behaviors will be held 2:30-4 p.m. on January 5 in partnership with the Dayton Center for Neurological Disorders. This free virtual education event will explore how communication changes when someone has Alzheimer’s and how to identify strategies to connect.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register. After registering, participants will receive instructions about how to connect. To register, call 800-272-3900 or email helkinslopez@alz.org.
Special webinar on Alzheimer’s communications and behaviors scheduled for Jan. 5
DAYTON The Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter will host a special educational workshop on how to identify and manage communication and behavioral changes when someone has Alzheimer’s disease.
Effective Communication Strategies & Dementia Related Behaviors will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Jan. 5, in partnership with the Dayton Center for Neurological Disorders. This free virtual education event will explore how communication changes when someone has Alzheimer’s and how to identify strategies to connect.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register. After registering, participants will receive instructions about how to connect. To register call 800-272-3900 or email helkinslopez@alz.org.
Sharing holidays with Alzheimer’s patients
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DAYTON – While holidays can be a joyous time for many families, they can be challenging for families affected by Alzheimer’s. The current COVID-19 crisis is adding even more complexities that can feel overwhelming for many families impacted by Alzheimer’s.
Rebecca Hall, program director for the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter, said caregivers need to look for ways to de-stress by creating new traditions and finding new ways for their family members to help make this season satisfying for all.
“At the end of the day, support your caregivers,” Hall said. “Talk with them to find out what they need, such as buying gifts or baking/food preparation. Be a support for them during this busy time.”