Alzheimer's Tennessee's Caring and Coping Workshop

Alzheimer’s Tennessee hosts its “Caring & Coping” Workshop to serve caregivers in Anderson, Roane, Campbell, Morgan and Scott Counties on Thursday, October 6 at First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge, 1350 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
 “Many of our care partners are lost in a sea of questions,” says Phyllis Spangler, Executive Director of Keystone Adult Day Program at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. “The Alzheimer’s Tennessee Caring and Coping Workshop helps caregivers learn which questions to ask and how to get good answers. Caregivers find it very enlightening and often attend the workshop repeatedly. It helps those who feel lost to know they are not alone.”
The October 6th workshop features an expert on the real-life challenges and the tough decisions facing family and professional caregivers. An Oak Ridge physician presents an overview of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and an attorney addresses the legal issues faced by those touched by Alzheimer’s and their families.  
“Alzheimer’s disease takes a heavy toll on many Tennessee families,” says Janice Wade-Whitehead, Executive Director of Alzheimer’s Tennessee. “More than 70% of all care given to those touched by the disease is provided by family caregivers. The Caring and Coping Workshops are an opportunity for caregivers to get the practical information they need. We hope families will be led to have conversations and make decisions before they get into a crisis.”  
Viki Kind, MA is a nationally known medical ethicist and a rare educator able to bridge two worlds, health care professionals and family caregivers struggling to make the right decisions for their loved ones. Kind is also the award winning author of a series of books for family and professional caregivers.  
The Caregiver's Path to Compassionate Decision Making: Making Choices For Those Who Can't, guides families, conservators and other professionals through the difficult process of making decisions for those who have lost capacity.
Her newly released book, The Caregiver's Path: Resource Workbook, Conversation Guide and Visual Toolkit, provides uniquely designed communication tools for managing challenging conversations such as evaluating danger and risk, managing guilt and denial, and helping the family know when it is time to create a new care plan.