Becoming Dementia Smart – Ask the Experts

April 6, 2011 - PRLog -- Do you have questions about dementia? How to care for someone with this disease? What resources are available to help you? Are you looking for answers about this disease?

On April 26, 2011 at 5:30 pm a community forum on dementia will be held at River Ridge Retirement Village, 706 Kentucky Avenue, South Haven. Moderated by Terri Dotson, Hospice at Home Community Relations Representative, the panel of experts includes Julie Weckel, LMSW, LBSW, Paul Constanzo, PA-C, Barb Betts Swartz, and Lynda Doorlag.

Julie Weckel, LMSW, LBSW has worked in the geriatric field as a social worker during the past 20 years, including in a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, as an OBRA evaluator, at Community Mental Health and as a Manager for a state of Michigan Single Point of Entry program.  Paul Costanzo, PA-C, provides care at Bronson LakeView Behavioral Health, Bronson LakeView Memory Clinic and Bronson LakeView Psychiatry. He specializes in geriatric psychiatry and working with dementia patients living in long-term care facilities. Barbara Betts Swartz serves as Program Director of the Alzheimer’s Association -  Michigan Great Lakes Chapter.  Barb has been with the Alzheimer’s Association for three years and oversees chapter-wide provision of education, information and referral, safety program and support group services.  Lynda Doorlag, Carewatch Care Manager with Senior Services of Van Buren County, has a unique perspective on living with individuals diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The forum takes place at River Ridge, a Leisure Living managed community, serving South Haven and surrounding areas for the last 10 years. Their community includes beautiful Senior Apartments where people can share a delicious noon meal with their neighbors and enjoy activities. They also have a 20 bed, Assisted Living building in which they are able to provide various levels of assistance. The goal of River Ridge is to “Share in Life’s Journey”.

Hospice at Home is the non-profit community hospice focusing on the patient and family regardless of the patients' diagnosis, treatment choices, or ability to pay.  It provides quality care to people adjusting to living with a serious illness, as well as to people facing death, anticipating the death of a loved one, or healing their grief after the death of a loved one.  Hospice at Home places an emphasis on the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of those who need care and those receiving support services in Berrien, Cass, Van Buren, and Allegan Counties.

If you are interested in more information, please call Terri Dotson at Hospice at Home, (269) 637-3825 or toll free at (800) HOSPICE; or go to www.hospiceathomecares.org.

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Hospice at Home is your non-profit hospice provider for SW Michigan. Offering comfort, dignity, and compassion to the terminally ill through a holistic, non-curative, approach to care, focused on enhancing the lives of patients for their remaining days.