Health
Dementia support group to feature world-renowned dementia care specialists and local writer
By
University of Guam June 7, 2022
Dr. Iain Twaddle and Nikolas Gutierrez
University of Guam June 7, 2022
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Caregivers of persons with dementia in Guam and the rest of Micronesia will have an opportunity this month to hear from world-renowned dementia care specialists affiliated with Positive Approach to Care. Teepa Snow, a registered and licensed occupational therapist and a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, will present on “The Typical Progression of Dementia and How to Help” this Saturday, and applied gerontologist Dr. Beth Nolan will present on “Understanding the Different Dementias” on Saturday, June 25. The sessions will be online via Zoom, and Snow and Nolan will be available after their presentations to answer questions from the group participants.
Also this month, two online dementia support group sessions will feature special presentations on “Reminiscence Therapy in Dementia Care” with local writer Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero. Leon-Guerrero will share stories about her father’s life growing up in Guam in the 1930s and '40s, along with live readings from her book “Coming of Age in War-Torn Guam: The WWII Memoirs of Justo Torre Leon Guerrero.” These sessions are specially designed to help caregivers learn to make meaningful connections with older adults and persons with dementia by embracing the oral storytelling traditions of Pacific island cultures, including sharing life stories and family memories.
The presentations are part of the ongoing online support groups for family caregivers of persons with dementia being conducted by the Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program of the University of Guam School of Health.
The complete schedule of support group sessions in June is as follows:
CARES® End-of-Life Dementia Care™ – Module 2: The CARES® Approach
“The Typical Progression of Dementia and How to Help” with Teepa Snow
“Reminiscence Therapy in Dementia Care” with Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero
CARES® End-of-Life Dementia Care™ – Module 3: Decision Making at the End of Life
“Understanding the Different Dementias” with Dr. Beth Nolan
CARES® End-of-Life Dementia Care™ – Module 4: Comfort Care
CARES® End-of-Life Dementia Care™ – Module 5: Emotional and Spiritual Support
Ongoing dementia support groups The GWEP dementia support group sessions are held remotely on Zoom every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, year-round. The sessions are free of charge to partners, family members, and other caregivers of persons with dementia who have ties to Guam and the Micronesian region.
For more information, contact Iain Twaddle or Nikolas Gutierrez at (671) 735-2883 or gwep.tgss@triton.uog.edu or Rhoda Orallo at (671) 735-3277 or r.orallo@hspguam.com.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an award totaling $885,592 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. government. Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Award #: 6 U1QHP33078-03-02.