Posted by Doc Hamels, Ph.D.

LIFE INTERRUPTED CONFERENCE: DEMENTIA EDUCATION FOR CAREGIVERS

The Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville (RCWM) Year 2021-2022 District 7090 Grant project directly supported education and awareness, the improvement of health, and the advancement of world understanding regarding the plight of families contending with the tasks of in-home elderly care, particularly care for elderly battling the ravages of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, and provided 2-year American Heart Association First Aid, CPR and AED Use certification to further support Caregivers in the event of a health event or emergency.
 
The YWCA-Westfield (beneficiary organization) and RCWM expanded Grant supportive organizations to include the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services, Western New York Alzheimer’s Association, and the Chautauqua Safety Village.  This energized collaborative creatively and beneficially crossed community service organization and governmental agency boundaries.  Starting in mid-September 2021, the working group met weekly via Zoom meetings to further define/refine Grant delivery messaging and techniques, ending with a descriptive name of Life Interrupted Conference: Dementia Education for Caregivers.  The full day Conference was held 9:00am-4:30pm Saturday, February 5, 2022 at the State University of New York at Fredonia, Williams Center.  Direct beneficiaries ranged from 17-to-75 years of age with two at 17 and 20 years of age and all others 50 years of age or older.  Participants who were also caregivers made up 58% of the total while all but one (1) were female.  A much larger population has been favorably impacted by the Conference via their caregiver roles, and significant community outreach and education efforts.