Dr. Elizabeth MacDougall, a Dementia Friends Champion, will hold an information session on dementia and its effects on Saturday, November 4, 2023. The session will be held at 10 a.m. in the fellowship hall at Edgemont ARP Church.
The one-hour session is a face-to-face discussion led by Dr. MacDougall; it is not a formal training or education session. The session will include fun activities and interaction. Participants will learn what dementia is and tips for communicating with people who have dementia. Everyone who attends is asked to consider a practical action that can help someone in their community. The action can be big or small – every action counts!
Dementia Friends is a global movement of people striving to create more dementia-friendly communities by changing how people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, Dementia Friends is underway in Virginia and across the United States. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for someone living with dementia.
Participants in this session may choose to become Dementia Friends. As Dr. MacDougall stresses, “You don’t need to be a dementia expert to become a Dementia Friend. You don’t need to know someone with dementia to become a Dementia Friend. After attending the session, you decide whether becoming a Dementia Friend is right for you. It’s easy and rewarding.”
“Compassion and understanding are the keys that unlock the door to empathy for those facing dementia,” she summarized.
Dr. MacDougall holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Geneva College and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Student Research at Bridgewater College. She previously worked at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, where she also maintained a geriatric neuropsychology consulting practice.
Registration is not required, but it will be helpful for the event planners. Participants may register by calling Edgemont ARP Church at 540-965-3916 or by logging on to the church website at https://www.edgemontarpchurch.com.
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