Published February 16, 2023
Wyoming Dementia Together (WDT), a statewide, nonprofit caregiver network operating through the University of Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA), continues its virtual programming on the topic of effective ways to communicate with a loved one living with dementia Wednesday, Feb. 22.
The free public program titled “Enlightened Communication With Your Loved One” will be presented at 10:30 a.m. by Carol Taylor, a Jackson licensed clinical social worker who specializes in elder care issues.
“One of the biggest challenges faced by caregivers also is one of the most basic. It is the challenge of communicating with a person who can no longer express themselves fully,” Taylor says. “The good news is that it is not a hopeless situation. There are strategies and skills the caregiver can learn to help to better understand and be more easily understood by the person who has lost some communication abilities. This program will offer practices caregivers can begin implementing immediately, and we hope to help boost their confidence in this particular area of their journey.”
WDT meets throughout the year by Zoom every other Wednesday. Programs feature a guest speaker and allow time for interactive discussion among those who attend online from throughout Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region. Future program topics scheduled are “What Matters Most to Your Loved One -- Conversations” March 8 and “Caregiver Support Using Technology to Ease the Caregiver Burden” March 22.
For information about registering for Zoom calls and the other free services offered by WDT, call WyCOA at (307) 766-2829 or email wycoa@uwyo.edu.
The WDT staff -- which includes dementia care professionals, licensed clinical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and caregivers -- began meeting in fall 2020 and offers online programming help twice each month.
For more information, go to the WDT Caregiver Network website.
