Thursday, May 9, 2024
Coryell Health RehabLiving at The Meadows will host a workshop opportunity to healthcare professionals and caregivers in Central Texas - “Living with Dementia Workshop.” Nurses, social workers, therapists, administrators, and any healthcare attendees earn 7.4 CEUs. Caregivers are encouraged to attend.
The workshop will take place on Thursday, Aug. 18, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Gatesville Civic Center located at 301 Veteran’s Memorial Loop. Attendee cost will be $10 per person with snacks, beverages and lunch provided. Vendor spots will be available for $75. Those wishing to attend will need to reserve a seat by calling Juana Marez at 254-248-6250 or by emailing her at juana.marez@coryellhealth.org. Registration deadline will be Aug. 12. Masks will be required at the workshop.
The guest speaker will be dementia expert Tam Cummings, a PhD. who is a gerontologist dedicated to untangling the complexities of dementia. Her mission is to inspire, educate and empower dementia caregivers. A Baylor University and Texas A&M graduate, Cummings is the author of the book “Untangling Alzheimer’s.”
Dr. Cummings’ educational events clearly explain dementia and how it progresses in the brain. A master at translating medical jargon into easy-to-understand terms, she walks the audience through how the disease starts, how it presents itself in each stage of dementia and how to provide care for a loved one or resident, even when their behaviors may be challenging. From diagnosis to death, her expert advice and explanations change families' lives.
Her book, “Untangling Alzheimer's,” is designed to allow the first-time caregiver and the longtime professional to gain the understanding and skills they will need to work effectively with persons with dementia. Her dementia staging tool, the DBAT, is adapted from the Global Deterioration Scale. Updated with the behaviors easily recognized in each stage of sementia, the DBAT allows families to track the disease process, prepare for the future and recognize how the behaviors of their loved ones are directly related to damage in the brain's lobes.
