Virtual Alzheimer's conference for Idaho residents

NEW YORK — The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will host a free virtual Alzheimer’s educational conference for Idaho residents on Tuesday, Aug. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pacific time as part of its 2021 national Educating America Tour.

The conference, which is free and open to everyone, will allow participants to learn from, and ask questions of, health, caregiving and legal 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, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., AFA’s president & CEO. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more, you can participate in this free virtual conference from the comfort of your home or office.”

Sessions during the AFA virtual conference will include:

Overcoming Alzheimer’s Disease Despite the Odds — Alzheimer’s disease leads to memory loss and diminished thinking skills. The greatest risk factor is age. Clearly, we can’t prevent getting older. But there are other dementia risk factors that we can control. Dr. Troy Rohn, PhD, professor, Department of Biological Sciences at Boise State University, will provide tips on ways to reduce those risk factors, including minimizing risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, including high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. He will discuss other strategies including good diet, exercise, getting proper sleep, staying socially active, keeping the mind engaged and managing stress effectively.

Creating a Dementia-Friendly Home — Dementia-related illnesses impact the mind and virtually every aspect of a person’s life, including making many facets of daily living more difficult. Most residences are not built with the needs of an individual living with dementia in mind, however almost every part of a residence can impact quality of life. Therefore, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) created the first-of-its-kind, model, dementia-friendly apartment.

Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, SIFI, AFA’s director of Educational and Social Services, will provide an overview of The Apartment. Built in AFA’s NYC headquarters, with virtual tours available, The Apartment showcases ways that practical design and technology can greatly increase the quality of life for someone living with dementia and help family caregivers protect their loved ones’ safety. She will discuss steps people can take to make their homes more dementia-friendly — from appliances to paint colors, color contrast, furniture and smart technology — whether they live in a house, apartment, condominium or townhouse.

Session Name TBD — It is essential to have the right legal documents in place when diagnosed with a dementia-related illness. David J. Wilson, Esq., a certified elder law attorney with the National Elder Law Foundation, and partner of the Ahrens DeAngeli Law Group, will talk about the importance of estate planning and how to protect your assets. He will advise families on how to plan their long-term care while avoiding exorbitant costs. He will also discuss important legal documents such as wills and trusts.

For more information or to register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour. Those who cannot 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 by calling 866-232-8484 or web chatting at www.alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the right-hand corner of the page. The web chat feature is available in more than 90 languages.