Living Well with Dementia

press release: November 10, Noon to 5 p.m., St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 7337 Hubbard Ave, Middleton

All are welcome to attend the Living Well With Dementia community resource fair and discussion panel on November 10 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Middleton. The event, organized by the Dementia Friendly Middleton Coalition, begins at noon and ends at 5 p.m. Join us for two panel discussions, workshops and a large resource fair. Topics are related to health and wellness, healthy aging, and medical and financial preparations.

Middleton Mayor Gurdip Brar will host an informal listening session during the event from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m.

Learn from local experts about medical, lifestyle and mental health strategies. Lifestyle factors, especially nutrition, exercise and brain exercise, are an important, growing area of research. Local financial and legal experts will present information about advanced directives, healthcare POAS, living wills, and other relevant financial topics. And most importantly, family caregivers and people living with dementia will speak on a panel about their unique experiences.

Hearing from a person who is living with dementia is a rare opportunity. At last year’s Living Well with Dementia event, a Middleton woman spoke about how she has adapted to living with Alzheimer’s disease. She described the huge benefits when she found a physician who made her feel more hopeful. She also found changing her nutrition and eating habits helped her cognitive skills improved.

“Most people think someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia is at the end of their life,” she said. “But the majority of people are not. They are like me, they are socializing and being part of the world.”

Event organizer Stacy Austin-Li of the volunteer organization Dementia Friendly Middleton. Austin-Li, is supporting her parents through her mother’s journey with dementia; and is particularly excited about the opportunity to bring together a broad range of resources for local people and families who are on their own journey through dementia or Alzheimer’s. “In addition to medical professionals and Alzheimer’s and dementia specific support groups, we have broad support from home health supports, assisted living, and social organizations in the community. I have found that connecting with a person instead of information off the Internet or from printed materials is so much more helpful and can profoundly improve our quality of life.” The extensive resource fair is open to the public and the entire event is free.

Quotes from last year’s attendees:

“It was great to see people comfortable asking questions and talking openly about what was happening in their lives. I was surprised at the comfort level in the room.” Dr. Nathaniel Chin, Wisconsin Disease Research Center

“What I heard from most people I talked with was, “please do this again next year.” For some it was the first time they really felt they could share how difficult and hard it is to have a loved one with memory issues and someone would listen and give a voice to what they might be going through – Scott Schneider, Dementia Friendly Waunakee volunteer

“Part of the reason that I’m here today to tell my story and to listen to yours is that I want people to understand that having answers helps. People are sometimes reluctant to see their doctors and ask questions because they are afraid of the answers. We need to keep asking questions and realize that answers give you a path to follow and people to help you on that path, which is way better than feeling lost and alone.” – Middleton Woman living with Alzheimer’s disease