Alzheimer's & Dementia Information

After years of deep connections to a faith community, members with increasing memory loss often feel cut off from their spiritual homes. Sometimes they find it hard to keep up with worship services, or feel not welcome when friends or spiritual leaders don’t know how to talk with them. But that is improving.

Lyngblomsten Community Services has been training faith leaders and volunteers to enhance services for people with memory loss and their families. Faith Community Nurses (Parish nurses) are actively helping individuals to live healthier lives and providing resources and support. The Alter program is helping three predominantly black Twin Cities churches draw in members with memory loss, with more churches coming on board – Alter’s work is on a national level. And St. Odilia Catholic Church regularly holds (since 2019) special worship services for people with memory loss and their families, and other faith communities are on a similar path. Come hear how change is happening.

Speakers:
Tom Hayes, St. Odilia Catholic Church
Carolyn Klaver, Lyngblomsten Community Services
Sam Sleeman, Faith Community Nurse Network
Robbin Frazier, University of Minnesota
Click here to watch the presentation

Presentation Resources:
Link to PowerPoint presentation

It is a big decision to move someone living with dementia from their home to a care residence. When caregiving becomes too difficult and it is no longer safe to care for someone at home, this may be the best option. Your role may no longer be that of a 24/7 caregiver, but you still will need to be involved as an advocate for your person to make sure their needs are met.

Amy House will discuss how to work effectively for positive outcomes with memory care staff. She will discuss:

• What is the level of communication, care, and engagement you should expect from an ALDC licensed Memory Care?
• Tips on how to work together with the facility to give your loved one the best care.
• How to handle minor and major concerns with the Memory Care facility.

Amy House, C.D.P. LALD, was a Director of Memory Cares in Assisted Living for 10 years and is now a Care Navigator for Tembo Health. She is a Positive Approach to Care Trainer with Teepa Snow, and the owner of Think Dementia L.L.C., doing consulting for families and professionals, and producing the Think Dementia podcast.

This event was not recorded. Here is a link to a recording of a previous presentation of this event. Link to PowerPoint presentation

Lori La Bey, founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks and co-founder of Dementia Map and Conscious Caregiving with L & L will lead this session. Lori’s mother lived with dementia for 30 years.

Denial is a common response and often a natural part of life when dealing with any chronic illness. With dementia, it affects those diagnosed, their family members, and their friends at various times during the disease process and we will explore many different situations. One of the most important things we will discuss is why people experience denial. What is triggering their denial?  How is denial protecting them and from what? If we don’t understand the whys, it’s almost impossible to come up with good solutions.

For those living with dementia and for family members, and friends we will:

• Define denial.
• Talk about how denial feels to the person in denial, as well as those around them. 
• Look at how our belief systems can trigger denial.
• Discuss what denial can look like.
• Explore the difference and the whys between denial, lack of insight, believing in an alternate reality, and lack of engagement.  

Lori La Bey, founder of Alzheimer’s Speaks and co-founder of Dementia Map and Conscious Caregiving with L & L will lead this session. Lori’s mother lived with dementia for 30 years.
Click here to watch the presentation.

For people with dementia and their families, hospice care at the end of life can be an amazing blessing. Hospice offers a wide range of services that can help ease discomfort and improve the quality of life. It also can ease the workload on family caregivers just when they are trying to spend quality time with their loved one.   

A panel of local hospice experts and professionals will discuss how hospice can be of benefit to persons with dementia and their families, also addressing issues such as what qualifies someone with dementia for hospice care, continuing the use of commonly prescribed dementia drugs, and what to consider about the use of drugs hospice frequently uses for pain and agitation that may exacerbate dementia symptoms. Panelists will also talk about the difference between hospice and palliative care, the value of getting hospice care as early as possible, and how to start family discussions about hospice care. Panelists include: Jennifer Johson, Chaplain, Optage/PHS Hospice; Jim Heymans, Bereavement Coordinator, Ecumen Hospice; and Dr. Neal Buddensiek, Chief Medical Officer, Benedictine.
Click here to watch the presentation.

Presentation Resources:
Hospice Care for Persons with Dementia - Slides
Panel Participant Bio Info

Physical exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has been shown to be very beneficial for maintaining brain health, even in people who are at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. There is strong evidence that a lack of physical exercise increases a person’s risk of developing dementia.

Ashley Millenbah, MPH, Research Coordinator at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health will discuss why physical activity is essential for brain health and the various ways you can bring more movement into your daily life. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Link to the exercise practice.

Presentation Resources: 
Brain Healthy Exercise - Slides
Being Active as We Get Older
Making Regular Physical Activity a Habit
Tips for Monitoring Aerobic Exercise Intensity

For more resources, see the Dementia: Caring & Coping entry in the On-Going & On-demand Section of our Webinars Resource Document

Caring for a person with dementia can be overwhelming. A support group provides a place to share experiences, learn caregiving techniques, and find resources to help cope with challenges and make decisions. A support group can also provide emotional support to help you cope with feelings of helplessness, isolation, guilt, and frustration.

Find out about the benefits of joining a support group and how to find a group that is right for you from three experienced support group facilitators: Amy House, a Certified Dementia Practitioner & Alzheimer’s support group facilitator; Paula Rice Biever, facilitator of two Lewy Body Dementia support groups; and Warren Wolfe, facilitator of the Former Dementia Caregiver Support Group.
Click here to watch the presentation.

Presentation Resources:   
The Power of a Dementia Support Group - Slides 
Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support & Education Groups 
Lyngblomsten Memory Loss Caregiver Support Groups 
Lewy Body Dementia Support Groups 
Former Dementia Caregiver Re-entry Support Group

Participate in an interactive event to learn how creativity and movement can spark joy, social engagement, and cognitive benefits for persons living with dementia.

Maria Genné, the founder & director of Kairos Alive, will explain how her intergenerational workshops integrate dance, music, and storytelling. Holly Nelson, Director of Lifelong Learning & the Arts at Lyngblomsten, will discuss the importance of art and music and why doing and enjoying is more important than the final product. Carolyn Klaver RN, a dementia specialist for Lyngblomsten Community services, will lead the group in Timeslips, a creative storytelling program.

We are concluding our presentation with a celebration! We are delighted to announce that Sara Barsel, co-founder and leader of the Roseville Alzheimer’s Community Action Team, has been awarded the 2023 Andrus Award for Community Service by AARP Minnesota. Sara will be presented her award at a post-event reception sponsored by AARP Minnesota. People are encouraged to stay after the event to recognize Sara Barsel’s accomplishments. Refreshments will be served! 
This presentation was not recorded

Presentation Resources: 
Kairos Alive
Arts and Dementia Research
Gene Cohen Study - Creativity and Aging
Music and Memory - Music Assessment Questionnaire
How to Create a Personalized Music List for a Loved One at Home
TimeSlips Storytelling

Sam Sleeman, CVA, Executive Director of the Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities will talk about the 2023 Whole Person Wellness community screenings project. She will explain the screening process, including what happens when cognitive issues are discovered. The Nurse Network will be conducting Whole Person Wellness Screenings later in April 2024. This is a great opportunity to find out more about what is involved and what information you can expect to get from a Wellness Screening.  

In the second half of our event, Linda Camp, Robyn Birkeland, and Carolyn Klaver will talk about how best to support people who are living on their own with MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) or dementia. Robyn will share about the University of Minnesota's Home Alone study and will review the preliminary results. She will also share considerations, resources, and tips for people with dementia who are living independently. Linda Camp will explain how “solos” groups can help people develop a personal “backup plan” for help and support, with monthly meetings to keep members on track, and build skills and social connections. She will discuss a new tool she developed to help create and facilitate these groups. Carolyn will discuss her own experiences with “solos.”

Robyn Birkeland, Ph.D., is a study interventionist and coach at the University of Minnesota Families and Long-Term Care Projects team. Linda Camp has extensive knowledge on aging solos including research and legislative work. Carolyn Klaver is a registered nurse & dementia specialist with Lyngblomsten Community Services. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

We’ll discuss how to plan ahead and prepare for all types of travels, from short local trips to navigating an airport. Learn about resources available to make traveling with dementia work! Our panelists are: Amy House, Certified Dementia Practitioner & creator of SilverCrest Staycations, Carol Giuliani, owner of Senior Travel Companions and Sara Barsel, organizer of the Dementia-Friendly Airports Working Group. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Learn about the ongoing changes and stages of dementia and effective ways to respond to various situations in this interactive presentation. Brittany Harris, Certified Coach, and Amy House C.D.P., Certified Trainer, in Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care®, will help you understand the different stages experienced by persons living with dementia. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Dementia research isn’t just about clinical trials! Many studies and projects are aimed at finding out what can make daily life better for care partners and persons living with dementia. Our panelists, from the University of Minnesota’s Families and Long Term Care Projects & Research Studies, are Katie Louwagie, DNP, project specialist, Robyn Birkeland, PhD, study interventionist and coach, and Ashley Millenbah, MPH, research coordinator. They will demystify the topic of dementia research and talk about what is available in and around the Twin Cities, the benefits of participating, and how to identify reputable research opportunities. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Learn about Leqembi, the revolutionary Alzheimer's medication that has captured attention as a potential game-changer for both patients and caregivers. Gain insights into its implications and intended beneficiaries and become better informed about this drug to aid in discussion with healthcare providers or preparing others to have these important conversations. This presentation is for anyone affected by Alzheimer's disease or working to forge a path to improved dementia care and understanding.  Our presenter, Robyn Birkeland, Ph.D., is a study interventionist and coach at the University of Minnesota with the Families and Long-Term Care Projects team. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Join registered nurse Carolyn Klaver for an informative presentation on early-stage dementia and the importance of socialization and cognitive stimulation. A dementia care specialist with Lyngblomsten Community Services, Carolyn will share 10 signs of dementia you may notice in yourself or a loved one, and then highlight a number of resources (including brain stimulating opportunities) that can help persons experiencing early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment. 
Click here to watch the presentation.

Resources:
10 Signs of Dementia Checklist
Nun Study proves "Use it or Lose it"

This is not Dementia 101, so we’ll get into some tangible ideas to avoid confrontation with your loved-one living with dementia. Come prepared to practice techniques, hear about successes, failures, and get permission to make mistakes. Walk away with respectful techniques that will make caregiving less frustrating. Presenter, Deb Nygaard, Licensed Assisted Living Director. 
Click here to watch the presentation.