The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will host a free virtual educational conference as part of its national Educating America Tour to help Arkansas residents affected by Alzheimer’s disease during the COVID-19 crisis on Tuesday, September 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m CST. The conference, which is free and open to everyone, will provide information and advice from health, legal and caregiving experts. To register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate. That’s especially true now as more than 58,000 Arkansas families are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO. “We want individuals who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s to know about the resources available to help them and steps that they can take to improve their loved one’s care and quality of life. This conference will bring that information directly to families without having to leave their homes.”
Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of The Dr. Oz Show, will be a guest speaker and share his family’s personal Alzheimer’s story regarding the diagnosis of his mother, Suna Oz, last year. Dr. Oz will describe how the diagnosis impacted his family, as well as share tips to promote good brain health and healthy aging.
Sessions during the AFA virtual conference will include:
- Game Plan for Prevention & Protection During COVID-19 – Keynote speakers Betsy Broyles Arnold and Molly Arnold will talk about having a game plan for prevention and protection during COVID-19. They will provide strategies on how to protect ourselves during this difficult time and how to maintain our health. They will offer advice for caregivers to reduce their stress and depression and prevent declining personal health.
Betsy Broyles Arnold is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Frank and Barbara Broyles Foundation. Molly Arnold is the Foundation’s Executive Director and one of the nation’s foremost experts on multi-generational caregiving. The Broyles Foundation is a local organization created to help support and educate caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease. The Foundation was named for legendary University of Arkansas football coach and athletic director, Frank Broyles, and his wife Barbara, who both passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. Frank was a major advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness and support. Betsy and Molly are the daughter and granddaughter of Frank and Barbara Broyles, respectively.
- Long-Term Care Planning – Todd Whatley, a Certified Elder Law Attorney with the National Elder Law Foundation, will provide tips for long-term care planning, and prioritizing and delegating responsibilities. He will discuss what documents you should have in place and discuss important questions about estate planning, powers of attorney, guardianships, probates, and trusts. Todd became Arkansas’ second Certified Elder Law Attorney in 2006 and is past President of the National Elder Law Foundation.
- COVID-19 and Trauma Associated in Care Partners– Dusty Linn, LCSW, CDP, CVW, AC-BC, PAC Instructor, will discuss the potential impact on caregivers on dealing with the daily stress of taking care of a loved one who either has COVID-19 or working toward prevention of the virus. She will provide strategies on how to deal with the stress of ensuring our loved one’s safety while also protecting ourselves. She will also discuss simplistic interventions to promote mental health and self-care during this difficult time. Dusty is a Certified Dementia Practitioner, an Instructor for the Positive Approach to Brain Change, Certified Validation Worker and Activity Consultant-Board Certified.
For more information or to register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour. Those who can’t participate in the virtual conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline at 866-232-8484 or via our online web chat system (available in 90+ languages) at www.alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the right hand corner of the page.
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About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure. Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) staffed by licensed social workers, the National Memory Screening Program, educational conferences and materials, and “AFA Partners in Care” dementia care training for healthcare professionals. For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. AFA has earned Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating for six consecutive years.
