KEEPING YOU INFORMED AND EDUCATED ABOUT

MEMORY MATTERS

NOVEMBER 2023, ISSSUE 17

In this Issue:

• Brain Trivia
• New Memory Matters Staff Members
• National Caregiver's Month
• Hear from Families
• Speaker Series
• Gala and Auction Committees
• Holiday Party
• Memorable Moment
• This month's Mediterranean Recipe

PET IMAGING FOR ALZHEIMER'S DIAGNOSIS

BECOMES MORE ACCESSIBLE.

In mid-October, big news came down from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It announced it will cover PET imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), which is a major step toward ensuring access to treatments for patients who may be eligible.

The human brain will triple its size the first year of life?

1. True
2. False

*The answer is located at the bottom of the newsletter.*

WELCOME TIA AND LAUREN

Memory Matters is excited to welcome two new staff members to our team.

Tia Fletcher is our new Family Care Coordinator. She will be working with our families in several different capacities from facilitating our support groups, providing care plans and resources, and teaching educational courses to the community.

“Tia has extensive experience working with individuals in crisis and counseling them through their different stages of grief and anxiety. She will be a wonderful resource for our families who are living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia diagnosis,” said Memory Matters Executive Director Jill Horner.

Tia’s education includes a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Savannah State University. Tia most recently worked at the Georgia Department of Corrections where she counseled inmates, created treatment plans, and completed intake screenings.

Lauren Morales is our new Program Specialist. She will be in our Memory Care Program leading various activities for our participants. She most recently worked at Coastal Harbor Health System in Savannah, GA as a Recreational Therapist and Patient Advocate.  

“Lauren has worked with all ages throughout her career planning and implementing creative expression, outings, activities and teambuilding. She will be a very beneficial addition to our Program Team,” said Horner.

Lauren is a licensed Recreational Therapist with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and Therapeutic Recreation from UNC Wilmington.

Welcome, Tia and Lauren!

NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVER'S MONTH

Celebrated every November, National Family Caregivers Month is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. It offers an opportunity to raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate communities, and increase support for caregivers.

To put in perspective how important it is to honor our caregivers - more than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias. These same caregivers provided more than 16 billion hours valued at nearly $272 billion in 2022. Approximately two-thirds of dementia caregivers are women, about one in three caregivers are 65 or older, and approximately one-quarter of dementia caregivers are "sandwich generation" caregivers, meaning they are caring for an aging parent while raising their own children. Even scarier, these caregivers are less likely to care for themselves and caregiver burnout is a true and real statement.

If you know a caregiver, give them a hug and thank them for what they do each and every day. If you are a caregiver, here at Memory Matters we are wrapping our arms around you and letting you know we are here for you. Please remember to take moments for yourself, go to the doctor regularly, and have lunch with a friend.

MEET CORA AND JANE

The below flyer was mailed to almost 3,000 people last month. It provides you with a more personal look into the families we serve and the volunteers who help us. Please give it a quick read and then watch the video allowing you to hear directly from Cora Miller and Jane Wexler on their journey with Memory Matters. Finally, please consider donating to Memory Matters allowing us to help more families and individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. 

PRESENTED BY PATTY AND DAVE EKEDAHL

We are working on our Spring Speaker Series and have some exciting information to share with you. On February 7, 2024, we will hold our first of four sessions in which we will bring in experts to talk to you regarding hot topics affecting caregivers and family members.

Our first guest will be Dr. Jacobo Mintzer from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He is a psychiatrist with special qualifications in geriatric psychiatry. He has dedicated much of his career to finding new treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Mintzer will present to the group and at the end he will take some questions. This first session of our Spring Speaker Series will be held here at Memory Matters on Hilton Head Island.

We plan on three more sessions as part of the Speaker Series with one in March, April, and June. Tickets are $25 for each session or $60 for all four. Tickets will go on sale in January at www.mymemorymatters.org.

GALA AND AUCTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Are you passionate about putting an end to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD)? Then, you may be perfect to join one of our committees for our largest fundraiser of the year.

Joining the planning committee for the spring Gala will help grow the event bringing in funds that can help local families. Our event occurs on May 2, 2024, and the committee

members play a key role in the success with responsibilities such as getting local companies involved, helping acquire auction items, and planning the logistics on the day of the event.

Examples of roles available: 

1. Community Engagement - actively works in the community to find businesses to sponsor and form company teams.

2. Event Planning - Planning the day of the event from top to bottom. Includes asking local vendors to donate goods and services.

4. In-Kind Donations - be the lead on canvasing our communities for businesses to donate goods and services for use on our online and live auctions.

5. Organize Auction items - help after the Gala to organize auction items to prepare for pickup.

If you are interested in any or all of these committee member positions, please hit the button below and send Stacy an email.

FREE MEMORY SCREENING

Did you have your memory tested in 2023? If the answer is yes, YAY for you. Give yourself a self high five. If you didn't, that's ok but it's time to schedule one in 2024. And those who had it tested in 2023, make sure you make a 2024 appointment too. We compare the memory test to an eye exam. You have your eyes checked every year to make sure your eyesight hasn't deteriorated. The same goes for the brain. You want to test it each year to make sure it hasn't deteriorated, and if it has, we can provide you resources on how to maintain your memory.

HOLIDAY PARTY

In just a few weeks, our families, participants, and volunteers are all invited to our annual Holiday Party. This year it will be held on Thursday, December 14th from

2 p.m.-4 p.m. There will be music, dancing, singing along with holiday cookies and punch. If you would like to attend, please hit the button below.

This month's memorable moment comes from the Halloween Parade we had in our Memory Care Programs on HHI and in Bluffton. The staff, volunteers, and some of the participants competed for best costume. The winners........ Minnie Mouse in the staff category. Christopher Columbus in the volunteer category. And in our participant category....Henry in the Pumpkin Suit. In Bluffton, it was mask, hat, and wig day with a Bumblebee and Avacado! At the end of the day, we all had fun with smiles on our faces.

CREAMY SQUASH CHILI

What is better than cold weather and a good chili? If that sounds good to you, then you will have to try this amazing recipe. Not only does this dish have lots of vegetables but it follows the Mediterranean Diet which has been proven to help the brain. This month's recipe is filling, healthy, and one that everyone, of all ages will love.

Brain Trivia ANSWER:

TRUE! A two-year-old baby will have an 80% fully grown brain. It will continue to grow until you’re about 18 years old. It isn’t until about the age of 25 that the human brain reaches full maturity. The human brain is the largest brain of all vertebrates relative to body size.