On June 15, Jamie LaLonde – Angela Hospice Executive Director – will present Caring For Someone With Dementia, the next installment in the Angela Hospice series, Angela Answers. We chatted with Jamie to hear more about her upcoming presentation and what she hopes others get out of the discussion.
Watch Jamie’s presentation, Caring for Someone With Dementia, here
Whenever Jamie LaLonde is asked to speak about dementia, she jumps at the chance. She saw positive breakthroughs while working in memory care facilities, and discovered she really enjoyed working with people who had dementia and their families.
“Dementia is a stigmatized and little understood disease,” she said. “And although there is sadness – nobody wants to get dementia – I think we quite often ignore all the things that can be done to enjoy and enhance the life of someone living with dementia, especially the connections we can still make with them.”
Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life.
Jamie said one of the most effective treatments for people with dementia is focusing on their quality of life. Positive moments can happen with the right approach, like watching a movie, reminiscing, or sharing a comfortable silence.
For this particular presentation she will focus on reframing the way people think about those living with dementia, tips on caregiving, and how hospice can support someone living with a degenerative disease.
Jamie also hopes people will share their own stories.
“I think part of being a dementia educator is about helping people learn from each other and create a community,” she said. “What might work for one person might not work for another or what isn’t working for somebody might work for somebody else… That sharing of ideas make people feel less alone.”
Angela Answers is a new monthly lecture series featuring experts from the Angela Hospice team.
For more information about the presentation, click here
