Meetings For Persons With Dementia

Most of the Alzheimer’s meetings and conferences I’ve been to here in Florida are for caregivers – persons with dementia accompanying the caregivers were put in “daycare.”

But some with early stage dementia have started to assert their rights to take charge of their lives and care, and are involved in organizing events tailored to their needs. Here are three such events:

2007 Early Stage Memory Disorders Forum
The Alzheimer’s Association New York City Chapter
April 11, 2007 New York, New York

forMemory First Annual Get Together
Workshops and roundtable discussions for people with early onset Alzheimer’s disease
May 4-8, 2007 Madison, Wisconsin
(contact Chris Baum VanRyzin at cbvanryzin@aol.com for information)

“Living Our Lives, Planning Our Futures”
Early Memory Loss Forum
Alzheimer’s Association – California Southland
October 27, 2007 Los Angeles, California
[I’ll post more information on this when it’s available].

Please let me know if there are other events I should add to this list!

Comments

[Gail Rae Hudson]

I noticed this post before but I'm ashamed to admit I didn't really read it, it didn't seem to apply to either me or my mom. But, finally, reading it tonight, I have to say, I'm pleased that these organizations are in existence, now that I know what they are. This kind of goes along with what I just wrote about dementia being person specific, rather than people being dementia specific. I look forward to seeing what effect these organizations have on social and legal spheres, let alone people's presently bedrock attitudes about dementia.
Leave it to baby boomers to organize for more compassionate treatment, recognition of rights and better lives for everyone, including those who have been tagged with the label "dementia". Yes!