by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
The St. Joseph Knights of Columbus will sponsor a program about Dementia Friendly Communities at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Heritage Hall.
Central Minnesota Council on Aging staff member Kathy Gilbride will give an overview of dementia, including the 10 warning signs.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association alz.org website, warning signs can include memory loss that disrupts daily life; challenges in planning or solving problems; difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work and at leisure; confusion with time and place; trouble understanding visual image and spatial relationships; new problems with words in speaking or writing; misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps; decreased or poor judgment; withdrawal from work or social activities; and changes in mood and personality.
Gilbride will also discuss what a dementia-friendly community looks like and how to create such an environment.
Parish nurse Marjorie Henkemeyer said dementia-friendly communities are those that include and welcome people with dementia. These places offer people with dementia respect and dignity and promote knowledge and awareness about dementia to the entire populace of that area.
The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring the presentation to promote an awareness and enhance the well-being of people with dementia and their caregivers.
