Caring for someone with dementia is complex and involves coordination across multiple
aspects of care, including medical treatment, cognitive support and assistance with
daily living. Those issues will be explored in a Wyoming Dementia Together program
Wednesday, March 25, at 10:30 a.m.
“When most people think of dementia, they often focus on memory loss, but dementia
frequently occurs alongside other medical conditions that can significantly affect
a person’s health and overall quality of life,” says Katherine Kitchen Andren, a University
of Utah neuropsychologist. “This is why caring for someone with dementia involves
more than addressing memory changes -- it requires caring for the whole person. For
caregivers, this means looking at the big picture -- not just memory changes, but
the person’s overall health, comfort and daily experience.”
Kitchen Andren will lead the March 25 Zoom program, “Beyond Memory Loss: Tackling
Common Comorbidities in Caring for our Loved Ones.” Information on how to participate
may be found on the Wyoming Dementia Together Caregiver Network website.
Wyoming Dementia Together, which offers support services to those caring for people
living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, operates under the direction of
the University of Wyoming Center on Aging.
Kitchen Andren says taking a “whole-person approach” as a caregiver “can help improve
your loved one’s quality of life -- and make caregiving more manageable as well.”
She also says the discussion will focus on understanding whole-person care; managing
coexisting conditions; early identification and intervention; and supporting caregivers
themselves.
Wyoming Dementia Together provides virtual informational programs every other Wednesday
at 10:30 a.m. Programs feature guest speakers and allow time for interaction from
those who attend online. Support staff members include dementia care professionals;
licensed clinical social workers; physical and occupational therapists; and caregivers
themselves.
Future program topics will feature “Prepared, Not Panicked: A Caregiver’s Guide to
Emergency Readiness,” April 8; “The Caregiver Compass: Navigating Dementia Care Through
Values and Preferences,” April 22; “The Conversation that Cares: Strengthening Family
Bonds in Dementia Care,” May 6; and “The Heart of Care: Upholding Dignity in Dementia
Care,” May 20.
For information regarding registration for these online Zoom calls and the other free services offered by Wyoming Dementia Together, call the Wyoming Center on Aging at (307) 766-2829 or email wycoa@uwyo.edu.
