Dementia Care Workshop for Family Caregivers to be Held Jan. 9 in El Dorado
| LITTLE ROCK – A free Dementia Care Workshop will be offered Jan. 9 in El Dorado for those who would like to learn about caring for an adult with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
The workshop, which is open to the public, will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at College Avenue Church of Christ, 1817 N. College Ave. For more information or to register, please call 870-881-8969 or email nyarbrough@uams.edu. Lunch is provided. Space is limited.
The program is sponsored by the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). The collaborative is funded by a Health Resources and Services Administration grant of $3.7 million for a Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program. The AGEC is a program of the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging.
Taught by Leslie Rice, LPN, the workshop will present an overview of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and provide caregiving tips.
“Learning helpful ways to support and care for someone with dementia can be very important in relieving caregiver stress,” said Leslie Rice, LPN, education specialist with the UAMS Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Program in El Dorado. “This program provides family caregivers with information on better ways to communicate, why some behaviors are challenging, nutrition tips, and activities while maintaining dignity and quality of life.”
Family caregivers include anyone who helps with care, including managing a family member’s medications, talking to doctors and nurses on their behalf, or simply preparing their meals and doing a few household chores.
About 80 percent of Arkansas’ older population who are still living in their home depend on family and friends for assistance. Dementia care at home can become more and more challenging. A better understanding of the disease may help families care for their loved one.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute and Institute for Digital Health & Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise including its hospital, regional clinics and clinics it operates or staffs in cooperation with other providers. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. U.S. News & World Report named UAMS Medical Center the state’s Best Hospital; ranked its ear, nose and throat program among the top 50 nationwide; and named six areas as high performing — cancer, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. UAMS has 2,727 students, 870 medical residents and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 10,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or www.uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.