The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will hold a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference for Indianapolis-area residents from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19 at the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, 1210 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis, as part of its 2023 national Educating America Tour.
The free conference is open to everyone and will allow participants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, and caregiving. To register, go to alzfdn.org/tour. Advanced registration is highly recommended as registration closes at noon on Monday, July 17.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” AFA President & CEO Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. said. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on July 19.”
Sessions during the AFA conference will include:
Legal Planning for Persons with Dementia
Estate planning is not just something that you do to protect your loved ones and distribute your assets after you die; it also covers a number of critical decisions that need to be made while your loved one is alive so that their health, legal, and financial wishes are carried out as they would want.
Attorney Robert W. Fechtman, JD, CELA, will discuss the importance of estate planning. He will provide an overview of wills, special needs trusts, powers of attorney, guardianships, and advance directives, as well as how to protect individuals who have lost the ability to manage their personal and financial affairs.
Fechtman is an Elder Law Attorney and Proprietor of the Fechtman Law Office in Indianapolis. He focuses his practice on the problems of older and disabled individuals. He is a frequent writer and speaker on a variety of estate planning, disability and elder law topics. He is a board member of the of the National Elder Law Foundation and a member and two-time Past President of the Indiana Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
The Beauty of the Brain
When most people visit their doctors, they often get physicals, but they neglect their brain health. Aside from getting a memory screening, there are certain activities one can do to maintain and improve cognition. Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, will offer ways to protect brain health and optimize brain care with evidence-based recommendations, as well as discuss research related to brain health and brain care.
Dr. Boustani is a Richard M. Fairbanks Professor of Aging Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He is a geriatrician, a neuroscientist, and a scientist with extensive experience in designing, evaluating, implementing, and disseminating healthcare innovations with a main focus on brain health.
Five Ways to Master Caregiving Without Breaking a Sweat
Caring for a loved one with a dementia-related illness is a labor of love that often comes with many physical, mental, and emotional challenges. Patricia Piechocki, CTRS, QMCP, will recommend strategies that caregivers can use to provide optimal care. She will talk about becoming equipped with knowledge and resources, being an advocate, communicating your needs, and celebrating every moment with your loved one.
Ms. Piechocki is the Manager of Programming and Continuing Education of The Institute for Excellence in Memory Care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services Northern Indiana. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreational Specialist who has worked in the memory care field for over 28 years.
Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day.
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For more information or to register for the July 19 conference, visit alzfdn.org/tour. Those who cannot participate in the conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline by calling (866) 232-8484 or web chatting at alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the lower right-hand corner of the page. The web chat feature is available in more than 90 languages.
About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure. Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, the National Memory Screening Program, educational conferences and materials, and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals.
For more information about AFA, call (866) 232-8484, visit alzfdn.org, follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. AFA holds Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating.