For the past five years our Educational Director, Gary Joseph LeBlanc has been educating our law enforcement officers on dementia awareness. LeBlanc dives deep into the A-Z’s of dementia-related diagnoses as well as best case practices, communication tactics and strategies to best handle behaviors that come with dementia care. He also teaches on situations that cause and occur during wandering and best recovery techniques.
Whitney Oeltmann and Alyss Amster talk with CBS 46 News about their experiences helping families affected by dementia.
Dementia has a profound effect on individuals whose symptoms range from mild to severe, and it also has a tremendous effect on their caregivers.
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. However, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is not a specific disease but an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. It affects thinking, behavior and the ability to perform everyday tasks.
Stonecrest, GA — The DeKalb County Human Services Department hosted a drive-thru advocacy and education event on Wednesday, May 26, at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Stonecrest. The department hosted the event to provide resources and education to enhance community understanding and support for people living with dementia, making DeKalb County the first dementia-friendly county in the state.
Dementia Spotlight Foundation (DSF) – an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization working toward a world that fully embraces the rights and needs of individuals and families living with dementia-related disorders – today announces celebrated local nonprofit Amy’s Place, home of Caring Together in Hope, and the international coalition of people living with dementia group Dementia Mentors will unite for the cause under the DSF umbrella. The organizations will work together to bolster service to Alzheimer’s and dementia communities by providing multi-state support through necessary resources to reinforce the message that life does not end after a dementia diagnosis.
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]Current Caregiver Award
Eric Swink, Kentucky
Past Caregiver Award
John Renyhart, Florida
Young Adult Caregiver
Josh Sloan, New Jersey[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]DeKalb County hosted a drive-thru kick off event at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Stonecrest on May 26, 2021, to celebrate its efforts to become Georgia’s first dementia-friendly county.
Officials are partnering with Dementia Spotlight Foundation and Dementia Friends Georgia to provide resources to the community. “We want support in the community. We want people to be educated, to understand dementia, to not be afraid to talk to someone,” said Debra Furtado, an administrator with the DeKalb County Human Services Department.[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/557566986″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_video][et_pb_button button_url=”https://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2021/05/27/dekalb-co-creates-first-dementia-friendly-county-in-georgia-1/” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”READ MORE” button_alignment=”left” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_bg_color=”#faa21c” button_border_width=”0″ button_icon_color=”#ffffff” saved_tabs=”all”][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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When our team at Dementia Spotlight Foundation was asked who our favorite Superhero was, we easily had our answer: Dementia Caregivers of course! The superpowers they possess are limitless! In our estimation, the first would be their power of dedication. Next there is the unselfishness they possess. As you can imagine, the list is endless!
Here at Dementia Spotlight, we believe that all Dementia Caregivers are heroes! (No doubt they should all be awarded daily!)
This gave us an idea. Why not have our own annual Dementia Spotlight Superhero Award? The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
We will have three categories:
Those who are currently caring for someone.
Those who have been dementia caregivers in the past.
A young adult/children caregiver’s category.
The deadline for nominating someone is April 18th at midnight, EST. We will have an unbiased panel choose the winners. Awards will be mailed in his or her name and announced on April 28th.
All nominees will receive a certificate stating they have been nominated.
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Vince Zangaro was recently a guest on the Caregivers Podcast. Check out the episode and more information HERE.
