Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library to present Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia
The five- part free educational series on dementia and healthy cognitive aging kicks off in February
Studies show that today, one in 10 adults aged 65 and over have dementia. Behind those numbers are people—people in our community.
Beginning next month, the Gloucester Lyceum and the Sawyer Free Library, is kicking off an educational series on dementia and healthy cognitive aging. Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia will feature local experts in the field of cognitive aging who will explore current dementia research, discuss methods of keeping your brain healthy, and ways to understand better and support people experiencing and caring for those with the disease.
"We hope that this important series, which is free and open for all to attend, will help to foster community conversation and support around dementia and this burgeoning health crisis," said Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict.
The five-part series will take through May at the Sawyer Free Library located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. All events are free. Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia schedule includes:
Saturday, February 5, 2 p.m.
Photographer Joe Wallace speaks on his series, "The Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia"
Joe Wallace will speak about his powerful photo exhibit "Day After Yesterday: Portraits of Dementia" on display in the Library's Matz Gallery through February.
The exhibit juxtaposes Wallace's portraits of individuals living with dementia with younger photographs of the subjects and a brief narrative of who they are as people. This body of work aims to de-stigmatize those living with dementia, use empathy as a means for connection and understanding, and tell a complete story of those living with the disease and its effect on their families and loved ones. Trained as a journalist, Joe Wallace has been a portrait photographer and storyteller for 20 years. Like many, Joe has a deeply personal connection with dementia.
Thursday, March 10, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Steps to Managing Memory, Alzheimer's Disease, and Dementia with Dr. Andrew Budson
Based on his award-winning book, Dr. Andrew Budson will explain how individuals can distinguish changes in memory due to Alzheimer's versus normal aging, what medications, diets, and exercise regimes can help, and the best habits, strategies, and memory aids to use, in seven simple steps. He will also discuss his newest book, including how caregivers can manage issues with memory, language, vision, behavior, driving, incontinence, sleep, and more.
Andrew E. Budson, M.D. is Chief of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, Associate Chief of Staff for Education, and Director of the Center for Translational Cognitive Neuroscience at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, Associate Director for Research at the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, and Lecturer in Neurology at Harvard Medical School. He is also the Medical Director of the Boston Center for Memory, located in Newton, Massachusetts.
The Cricket will detail more programs in this series in future editions of the paper.
