Elaine Poker-Yount
November celebrates Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Dementia Friendly Sun Lakes (part of the Aging with Grace Alliance Arizona) invites you to join us this November in a few events designed to provide better community understanding for those who may be wondering about some changes you may be experiencing yourself, or seeing in someone you love.
Join us on Monday, November 9 at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church for a 90-minute class for anyone who’s ever wondered, ‘am I starting to go down that slippery slope that includes some memory challenges?’
“Is it Forgetfulness: Or is it Something Else? What’s Actually Normal as We Age and What Really Isn’t?”
We all forget things occasionally, or struggle to find the right words. And yes, we all lose our keys occasionally. When we do these things, we tend to get a little panicky sometimes, especially if we sense it’s happening more often, or if Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia runs in the family. Is this normal, or are we getting close to that dreaded ‘mild cognitive impairment’ stamp on our medical record? Learn the differences between what really IS NORMAL at our current stage, and what isn’t, AND what other issues present similarly to dementia!
Elaine Poker-Yount, Co-Chair of Dementia Friendly Sun Lakes will present on this topic, sharing insights, facts and popular misconceptions. Join us at 1 p.m. in Room 1 of the Education Center, all the way to the back (north end) of the Sun Lakes UMC campus.
RSVPs are required and registration will open 20 minutes early. Call 480-256-2452 or email DFSunLakes@agingwithgraceaz.org.
In addition, you may also want to save the date and mark your calendars now. For those of you who are specifically worried, or just want to get a baseline screening, we will also be offering the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s National Memory Screening Initiative on Tuesday morning, November 24 at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.
Members of the community are encouraged to be proactive about memory health by taking advantage of free, confidential memory screenings. Screenings consist of a series of questions and tasks, which take 10 to 15 minutes. Qualified professionals will administer the screenings and be available to answer questions and provide additional information and local resources for aging successfully. Screening results are not a diagnosis, and individuals with below-normal scores or who have concerns are encouraged to pursue a full medical exam. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 480-256-2452 or email DFSunLakes@agingwithgraceaz.org.