Register by March 19 to guarantee your seat and snack! Call (785) 537-4610 or click here to sign up online.

If you have the privilege of living long enough, you learn that one thing you can always count on is change. Changes that occur as we age may include retirement, wrinkles, growing families, and more. But what changes happen to our brains as we age? How do we handle change if we become one of the more than 11 million people caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia?

If you would like to learn more about the answers to these questions and explore ways to positively impact the outcome of these changes, join us from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 24, in the Meadowlark Event Center for the annual Memory Matters Symposium. A major change to the event this year is that registration is required. Please call (785) 537-4610 or sign up in the Blue Book at the Meadowlark Hospitality Desk by Wednesday, March 19, to guarantee your seat and snack.

The goal of this outreach event, provided by the Meadowlark Memory Program, is to provide outreach and education about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to those in the Flint Hills region. This year’s event will highlight how the brain changes with age and dementia and the mindset shifts one can use to positively influence interactions with those living with cognitive change. Join us in encouraging engagement and understanding as we strive to help de-stigmatize cognitive changes and decline. We are honored to recognize Robert Reeves, Meadowlark resident, who is underwriting this event in honor of his wife, Sue.

Heather Bailey, Ph.D., will lead off the evening, addressing our first question, with her presentation, Brain Aging 101: How Aging & Dementia Reshape Our Minds.  We will learn how the brain functions and how it changes with age and dementia. Bailey is an associate professor in the department of psychological sciences at Kansas State University. Her research focuses on memory systems and aging, specifically studying factors that influence memory, as well as how the brain supports memory for real-world events. From her presentation, you will take away practical, science-backed actions to support cognitive health.

Following Dr. Bailey’s presentation there will be a brief exercise break and opportunity to visit with members of the Meadowlark Memory Leadership Team. We will then learn from Karen Stobbe about Being in the Moment: An Interactive Session of Practical Tips. While Bailey’s presentation will teach us about what happens when the brain changes, Karen Stobbe will help answer the second question of how to handle the change of caring for someone experiencing dementia. Her interactive presentation will teach you strategies and supports to enhance communication and decrease challenging situations, as well as now to create a better life and a better day for those living with dementia and anyone who loves them. 

Stobbe comes to us from North Carolina, where she is the Chief Purpose Officer of In the Moment. She has facilitated over 700 presentations on person-centered dementia care and has co-created more than seven training programs about dementia. Her comprehensive expertise supports care partners and those living with dementia wherever they reside. Both of Karen’s parents lived with Alzheimer’s, and her mom resided with her family for 11 years. In her journey as a care partner, she learned how shifting one’s mindset can improve quality of life for everyone impacted by cognitive changes. It is her mission to share what she has learned so others can benefit from her experience.

At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Matthew Floersch, Meadowlark Memory Program Medical Advisor, members of the Meadowlark Memory Leadership Team, and the presenters will be available for questions.

The event continues to be free and open to the public and will feature a free brain-healthy snack. As noted previously, registration is required this year. To guarantee a seat please call (785) 537-4610 or sign up in the Blue Book at the Meadowlark Hospitality Desk by Wednesday, March 19. If you are unable to attend in person, you may join us via Zoom. Contact Michelle or Katie for the link. We look forward to another great year of learning and empowerment as we explore how we can positively impact some of the changes that may occur as we age.

The Meadowlark Memory Program is designed to help those dealing with memory and cognitive changes, as well as their care partners. This program is open to anyone in the Flint Hills Region who is affected by memory and/or cognitive changes. All classes and groups are FREE of charge. Please contact Michelle Haub or Katie Sigman to learn more: mhaub@meadowlark.org, ksigman@meadowlark.org, or call (785) 323-3899.