Are you interested in all things pertaining to dementia?  This meeting is for you.

Check out the link here…

March 2015 ALz & DementiaCoalition Mtg

The Gulf Coast Dementia Services Support Group meets  from 11:00am to 12:00 pm every second and fourth Tuesday at the Touching Hearts Senior Care office located on 3263 Demetropolis Road, Suite 10 in Mobile, Alabama.

These support groups are designed to provide emotional, educational and social support for caregivers through regularly scheduled meetings. They help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. The groups encourage caregivers to maintain their own personal, physical and emotional health, as well as optimally care for the person with dementia.

For more information or to RSVP, call Gina Germany at 251-445-4204.

I recently sat down to lunch with a lady who is making a difference in our dementia community.  She arrived in town 8 years ago with the determination to provide a service agency for the elderly.  She has done that and so much more. To try to understand it all, I had her draw a schematic outline of all the things she has created and directs. All tolled, 380 jobs have been created, providing services in Mobile, Baldwin, Escambia, Washington, and Monroeville counties.

You may be familiar with her Touching Hearts Senior Care, which encompasses in-home assistance, a safe discharge program, case management, and a pop-in service. She also helps veterans acquire assistance from the VA’s Aid and Attendance Benefits and offers a monthly support group.

Ms. Germany is the president of the Gulf Coast Senior Alliance, whose members provide quality and trustworthy care to the senior population on the Gulf Coast.

If that’s not enough, she has developed the non-profit Gulf Coast Dementia Services, Inc.  whose mission is to target the many needs of our dementia community, respite services being high on the list. Since dementia is our country’s fastest growing health concern with no cure in sight, I personally want to commend Ms. Germany on her foresight and determination to enable the many families living with dementia.  This group was responsible for the successful dementia conference featuring Teepa Snow held just this month.

You get a purple angel*, Gina Germany, for all you’re doing for dementia care.

*This Purple Angel symbol can be used by anyone raising awareness regarding dementia. It symbolizes a guardian over those living with dementia, their families and friends, as well as all those working to raise awareness about dementia world wide.

You are invited to attend the Dementia and Alzheimer Information Workshop hosted by Catholic Social Services of Mobile.  The presenters will be Della Sanchez, LGSW, Alabama Cares Coordinator at the Area Agency on Aging and Gina Germany, President, Touching Hearts Senior Care.  Deacon George Yeend of St. Lawrence Parish will lead in prayer and reflection.

This workshop will be beneficial for caregivers, family members, Ministers for the Sick, Clergy and anyone who is interested in Dementia/Alzheimer disease.

The program will be presented twice on Thursday, April 10th at either 10am to noon or 6pm to 8pm at St. Pius X Santo Center on 217 Sage Avenue, Mobile, AL.

For information, please call Ruth Breland, Director of the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities – 251-434-1550.

Teepa Snow, Dementia Expert

 Gulf Coast Dementia Conference is being held April 18, 2014 at the DePaul Center at Providence Hospital. Touching Hearts Senior Care, and Mercy Life of Alabama  are currently the main sponsors of the first ever conference in Lower Alabama.

Renowned Dementia expert, Teepa Snow, will be the instructor and provide professionals with CEUs. This is a conference you do not want to miss. Teepa will speak candidly to the audience regarding the ABC’s of Dementia, Understanding the Different Dementias and why do they do that? She will also discuss communication skills and challenging behaviors.

This is a free conference and seats are more than half full, now is the time to register.

You can register online or call Gina Germany at her office 251-445-4204.

Don’t miss the January 22, 2014 at Five Rivers Delta.

Speakers from support groups and dementia services will present information that you want to know.

Meeting begins at 10 am and ends at 11:30 am.

Click Alzheimer and Dementia Coalition meeting for the flyer about the details.