Dementia Workshop Series Coming to Macon County in March and April

Press Release


Dementia Workshop Series Coming to Macon County

A campaign to tackle the stigma and lack of understanding around dementia is underway in Macon County with the support of area churches, the Southwestern Commission Area Agency on Aging, Macon County Public Library, Angel Medical, Macon County Senior Services, and Macon County DSS.

Hickory Knoll United Methodist Church has partnered with a growing list of area churches throughout Macon County to host a workshop series, ‘Dementia Friends NC’ beginning on Tuesdays, March 20, 2018. Designed to help build awareness about dementia and identify ways local citizens can help people who are living with it in our community, the four-session workshop series is being made possible through a Missional Engagement Team Grant of the Smoky Mountain District of The United Methodist Church.

The 90-minute sessions will take place on four consecutive Tuesdays, beginning March 20, 2018, with both afternoon and evening sessions offered, as well as choice of venue.  All 2:00 p.m. sessions will be offered at the John & Dorothy Crawford Senior Center.   All 7:00 p.m. sessions will be offered at the Macon County Public Library.  
ALL WORKSHOPS WILL BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

          Date                         Seminar Title        
                                                  
March 20, 2018      Dementia 101   (Everything you wanted to know but were                                afraid to ask)
March 27, 2018      Dementia Friends   (How to support those in                                                     our congregations and community)
April 3, 2018          Legal Considerations    (An Elder Law Attorney will explain                                 key legal decisions that families of persons with memory                                   illness may face)
April 10, 2018        There Is Help    (Services and supports for families and                                     caregivers of persons with memory illness)

Having recognized that this is such a critical and time-sensitive challenge for our community, the following partners are also collaborators toward this workshop series initiative:

                  Southwestern Commission Area Agency on Aging
                  Angel Medical Center/Mission Health
                  Macon County Department of Social Services
                  Macon County Senior Services

Approximately 160,000 North Carolinians age 65+ are living with Alzheimer's. Dementia Friends is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia. It aims to transform the way we think, talk and act about the disease. The Dementia Friends sessions will help participants learn about dementia and the small ways each of us can help. From telling friends about the program to visiting a friend living with dementia, every action counts.

Dementia Friends North Carolina is provided by the NC Association of Area Agencies on Aging (NC4A). For more details contact Rev. Stephanie Thompson, pastor, Hickory Knoll United Methodist Church (sthompson2@wnccumc.net) or Cindy Miles (peekaboomom@gmail.com).

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