Faith in Action Caregivers, Inc. and the Altenheim Resource and Referral Center have partnered to bring “The Memory Bridge: Creating Meaningful Communication for Those Living with Alzheimer’s Disease” to Wheeling on September 17, 18 and 19, 2013 at W heeling Jesuit University.

The workshop will begin with a two-day presentation on Tuesday, September 17 and Wednesday, September 18 by Naomi Feil for family, volunteer and professional caregivers. Participants will learn the validation therapy techniques that Ms. Feil created. The second day of the workshop will conclude with a presentation by Michael Verde who will address “The Spiritual Nature of Dementia Care.” Participants must attend both days of the workshop. The cost is $50.00 per person and will include materials, a continental breakfast, lunch and breaks both days. Continuing education units for nursing and social work are pending and will be offered for an additional fee of $15.00. The two-day workshop is open to the public.

On Thursday, September 19 Michael Verde will offer a workshop for clergy only on the “Spiritual Issues of Dementia Care.” This one-day workshop will help clergy minister to members of their congregations who have some form of dementia and to their caregivers. The cost for this one-day seminar is $15.00 and includes materials, a continental breakfast, lunch and breaks. Clergy do not need to attend the workshop with Ms. Feil in order to attend the clergy day workshop.

Funding for the project has been provided by The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley and The Wheeling Automobile Club Fund. In-kind support has been provided by Wheeling Jesuit University.

Validation Therapy has been widely embraced since it began in 1963. Naomi Feil, M.S.W., A.C.S.W, and Certified Diplomat in Clinical Social Work, created Validation Therapy between 1963 and 1980 in response to her dissatisfaction with traditional methods of working with the severely disoriented person. Validation is a tested model of practice that helps old disoriented people reduce stress, enhance dignity and improve happiness. Validation accepts the old person who returns to the past. The retreat is not seen as mental illness or disease. It is survival. Ms. Feil has taught these techniques to more than 80,000 health care workers and family caregivers in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and Africa. She has authored numerous articles for professional publications and several books. She has also authored eleven award-winning film scripts.

Michael Verde is founder and president of Memory Bridge: The Foundation for Alzheimer’s and Cultural Memory. He is an author and holds a master’s degree in theology. Memory Bridge creates programs that connect people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to family, friends, and other people in their local community. They also create programs that reveal to the general public the depths of memory that dementia does not erase. The goal of Memory Bridge is to create a global community of people who, like us, are learning to listen to people with dementia for what they have to teach us about our own humanity. Mr. Verde was instrumental in the development of the interview guide used by the Library of Congress Veteran’s History Project. He also developed and implemented an award winning curriculum and school program called The Memory Bridge Initiative. He produced the PBS documentary There is a Bridge and launched an art exhibit titled Mapping Lives: The Art of Listening.

The techniques taught by Ms. Feil offer the opportunity to improve the quality of life for those living with Alzheimer’s disease - the person with Alzheimer’s and the caregiver. The person with Alzheimer’s has an opportunity to capture a connection with others that Alzheimer’s disease impairs during the course of the disease and which is severed as the disease progresses. The caregiver is able to tune into the care receiver’s “world” which builds empathy and trust, and, lessens stress. The communication that is enabled promotes a sense of well-being for both caregivers and receivers and facilitates less stressful caregiving. Mr. Verde’s information and contagious passion for Alzheimer’s care will also serve to positively impact, motivate and enlighten caregivers and will guide those who provide spiritual and emotional support for those who are living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Both Faith in Action Caregivers and the Altenheim Resource and Referral Center hope that this project will promote relationship-building and collaborative efforts. These efforts have the potential for program development for community education, congregational education, and, the enhancement of existing services for the elderly with Alzheimer’s disease. It is rare to see professionals in health care and social services mixed with family and volunteer caregivers in a workshop that improves the quality of life for their clients, patients, friends and family members. It is unheard of to add clergy to this mix. And yet, each plays a significant and interdependent role in caring for those with Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia. Finding ways for these groups to work together has never been attempted in this community. The results can only be imagined when all of them come together on a common ground and utilize techniques that are consistent, compassionate and successful.

Registration forms are available by calling Faith in Action Caregivers at 304-243-5420. They can also be downloaded from our website at www.faithinactionwheeling.org. The registration deadline for both workshops is August 30.