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In This Issue:
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February/March 2008
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Exercise & Memory Loss Workshop for Family Caregivers
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Save the Date: May 1 Breakfast Benefit
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StoryCorps Preserves our Memories
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Alzheimer’s Education Conference Delivers Insights into Aging
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Holiday Donors Deliver!
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Working with Elders Workshop
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Exercise & Memory Loss
Thursday, March 6, 2008, 7:00-9:00pm
Safeco-Jackson St Center
306 23rd Ave S, Seattle 98144
Free; pre-registration required
The latest news from the scientific community suggests a surprising connection between exercise and memory loss, including Alzheimer’s.
One of the leading researchers is Laura Baker, Ph.D., of the Memory Wellness Program (University of Washington/Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System). Join Dr. Baker as she presents her research to family members caring for older adults.
This event is sponsored by the King County Dementia Partnership Project, whose members include ElderHealth Northwest, Alzheimer’s Association, Evergreen Healthcare’s Geriatric Regional Assessment Team, Senior Services, Kin On Community Healthcare, and Seattle/King County Aging and Disability Services.
This event is free but seating is limited. Please RSVP by Monday, March 3: (206) 224-3757. On-site respite care available.
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In November, a StoryCorps team recorded interviews with 12 attendees at our adult day health centers. StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. The collaboration with ElderHealth Northwest was part of StoryCorps’ Memory Loss initiative, supporting and encouraging people with memory loss to share their stories.
ElderHealth staff person Siri Michel-Midelfort says she has been listening to StoryCorps for years on National Public Radio and is impressed by its efforts to preserve and share the oral histories of everyday people. “I’m often brought to tears by hearing their surprising honesty,” she says.
Siri had the pleasure of interviewing two people. “As a case manager,” she says, “I am intimately aware of the amazing lives and stories of our clients. However, in our busy daily schedule, we don’t always get to share as much time one-to-one as we would like.
“The woman I interviewed was a female client who has a lot of insight about her memory loss and the challenges she faces with multiple sclerosis. She was brutally honest in sharing intimate moments of her life and also had a humble courage.
“The gentleman I interviewed had his stories preserved not only for the Memory Loss Initiative, but also for the Griot Initiative, a one-year project to collect the stories of African Americans. Those histories will be archived at the future Smithsonian National Museum of African American and History and Culture. He was able to tell beautifully saturated and vividly expressed stories about his childhood in Haiti, voodoo tales, and reflections on the life he has carved out in America.”
ElderHealth is pleased to be a part of Storycorps’ work. The participants in our programs have led rich and wonderful lives and it is a wonderful gift for them and their families to record some of their memories. As part of the Memory Loss Initiative, each participant received a recording of their interview. With the participants’ permission, the stories will be catalogued at the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center. Selections from the recordings may be selected for broadcast on NPR’s Morning Edition.
PICTURED: StoryCorps Participant Dens and ElderHealth Staffer Siri
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23rd Annual Alzheimer’s Regional Conference
Friday, April 4, 2008 (pre-conference April 3)
Washington State Convention Center
Pre-registration required
So often, dementia care leads to more questions than answers. The 23rd Annual Alzheimer’s Regional Conference will explore some of the answers to commonly asked questions, starting with a pioneer who was determined to find a way through the haze of dementia. Naomi Feil will deliver a keynote address on “Insights into Aging,” highlighting details of her validation method. Validation is an evidence-based method for both professionals and family caregivers that helps reduce anxiety while enhancing dignity.
Conference workshops are evidence-based and offer the guidance and expertise of leading professionals. The conference has been expanded to include additional learning tracks designed for dementia care leaders, hands-on staff, activity professionals, advanced practitioners, family caregivers, and a general audience track for all participants.
PICTURED: Naomi Fell, A.C.S.W.
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Working with Elders: Important & Inspiring
Friday, February 29, 2008, 9:00 am – Noon
SAFECO Jackson Street Center
306 23rd Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98144
Preregistration required
Working with older adults can be inspiring and fulfilling. With a burgeoning elder population, we have an ever-growing need for educated and committed eldercare professionals who value and respect elders. In this thought-provoking workshop, we’ll explore:
• the theoretical framework and stages of growth and development for older adults and associated developmental tasks
• ageism in our culture and how it affects working with elders
• the array of services available for older adults and how services support elders through late life transitions
• strategies and activities for working with elders to achieve better mental health
This workshop is perfect for people who are new to the aging field, who find themselves unexpectedly working with older adults or who are caring for family members.
Presenters: Barbara Green, MSW is in private practice working with elders and their families as they transition through late life. Sara Myers, MA, Executive Director of WADSA, has over 20 years' experience working with older adults and their families in a variety of capacities and settings.
Approval pending for Professional Guardian Board for "person" credits. Meets many facility and professional licensing and certification board requirements.
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"Inside ElderHealth" is an occasional e-newsletter of ElderHealth Northwest, a non-profit organization providing innovative eldercare options since 1976.
Adult Day Health Centers * Supported Living Homes * Geriatric Care Management
In-Home Services * ElderFriends Volunteers
Copyright © 2008 ElderHealth Northwest
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