Carol Bowers, Volunteer Manager
S.M.A.R.T.
Strategic Memory and Alzheimer’s Rehabilitation Training
The statistics about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are staggering. This is enough to get most of us to pause and think about our future cognitive health. There are so many people with dementia out there who require daily care but sadly their are not enough senior care professionals out there to fill the demand. If you wish to make a difference to this troubling reality, you may wish to view website here for more guidance. The fact is we are living longer. As someone said to me recently, “It is as important to exercise our mind as it is our body.” We are a world of aging individuals. Most of us want to be independent and active for years to come. Our active community has an opportunity to take part in a study with Dr. John DenBoer, a prominent clinical neuropsychologist who created the SMART program. Dr. DenBoer provides the cognitive testing for you. The testing gives you an idea about your personal cognitive skill and allows you to track your progress with the SMART program. Several individuals have been participating in the program are from right here in Sun Lakes. Enrollment is open.
The SMART program is designed to keep seniors mentally fit! The program includes six cognitive modules that exercise different parts of your brain. By doing these exercises, you may slow down the progression of conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
A SMART coach is an individual who is trained to work with the SMART program, as well as trained for assisting individuals who have MCI, or mild cognate impairment. MCI is a result of conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
SMART is:
Cognitive intervention program for dementia
Alzheimer’s /Dementia
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Increase in brain resiliency via new learning
Improvement in quality of life
Certified SMART Home Care Professionals – trained to work with your personalized SMART Program
Consultations from Dr. John DenBoer
Neighbors Who Care has agreed to partner with Dr. DenBoer and Affordable Home Care of Scottsdale, to bring SMART to a larger number of people in our community. We are currently recruiting NWC volunteers to serve as caregiver/coaches for the program. If you are a NWC volunteer currently and would like to attend SMART Certification training, please call our office at 480-895-7133 to be registered for the two-hour training class, which will be held on August 27 at 1:00 p.m. at the Neighbors Who Care office in Sun Lakes. New volunteers will need to register for both the two-hour NWC Volunteer Orientation class will be August 20 at 1:00 p.m. at the Neighbors Who Care office in Sun Lakes and the SMART certification training. The program is designed to be ongoing, with each series of three workbooks set up as six 12-week sessions. There is a break between workbooks and coaches may work with more than one client. Coaches may also have a backup or substitute if they are going to be away. We want this program to benefit as many as we can in our community so sign up today to be a coach. Call Neighbors Who Care at 480-895-7133 to give your brain some exercise while helping someone else.