Alzheimer’s Program Being Held At Portage Lake District Library

The Portage Lake District Library will host the Alzheimer’s Association of Marquette for an afternoon of educational programs about Alzheimer’s Disease on Thursday, May 31, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The programs will be presented by Jake Bilodeau, Regional Director of the Alzheimer’s Association – Greater Michigan Chapter.

The programs are as follows:

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease
This program provides basic information about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia including detection, causes, risk factors, stages of the disease, treatment, and much more.

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Dementia Conversations: Driving, Doctor Visits, Legal and Financial
This program will offer helpful tips to assist families with difficult conversations related to dementia including going to the doctor, deciding when to stop driving, and making legal and financial plans. The workshop reinforces the need to plan ahead and build a care team that communicates well in order to reduce the stress that can accompany a disease like Alzheimer’s and that connects family members to helpful resources.

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Effective Communication Strategies
This program will provide practical information and resources to help dementia caregivers learn to decode verbal and behavioral messages from people with dementia. As people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias progress on their journey and the ability to use words is lost, families need to learn new ways to connect and communicate at each stage of the disease.

Library presentations are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900.