Q: I am beginning to get more forgetful and wonder whether it is just old age or something more serious. Do you know where I might get some answers?
A: November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, and one of the events is National Memory Screening Day. This will be offered at more than 2,000 sites, including Senior Concerns’ day care center, 401 Hodencamp Road in Thousand Oaks, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 15.
Memory screenings will be offered by reservation 9 to 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The screenings will be administered in English and Spanish and will consist of a series of questions and tasks that will take five to 10 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 497-0189.
Also, Sherry Lynn Harris, an inspirational speaker, will discuss “What’s Next and How to Adapt.” Her presentation will focus on the signs and symptoms that indicate a possible cognitive decline, explain steps one can take, discuss how to create joy while optimizing brain health and talk about how to be proactive by simplifying your life.
Vickie Kind will give a presentation titled “What I Wish My Dad and I Had Known before he was Diagnosed with Memory Loss.” She will show what to do when you suspect memory loss, what resources are available and how to build a supportive caregiving team.
Screening results are not a diagnosis and individuals with below-normal scores or concerns will be encouraged to pursue a full medical exam. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America urges screening for anyone concerned about memory changes, at risk of Alzheimer’s disease due to family history or who wants to check their memory for future comparison.
There is no charge for this very informative event and one you should mark on your calendar. Call 497-0189 for more information.
Q: I have attended a number of excellent seminars for caregivers this year at Senior Concerns. Will there be a seminar in November?
A: Yes. The final presentation in the 2014 Path to Positive Aging Series is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Senior Concerns day care center, 401 Hodencamp Road in Thousand Oaks.
This presentation will be titled “Advanced Alzheimer’s Disease: Knowing and Planning for What’s Ahead.” Norma Featherston, RN, MS, will address understanding the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of care, effective ways to communicate and provide daily care in late stages, and late-stage options.
Call 497-0189 for more information and reservations.
HAPPENINGS
Holiday craft bazaar: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Goebel Adult Community Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.
Medicare 2015 seminar: 1 p.m. Nov. 5, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza boardroom, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks.
History Comes Alive presentation: 2 p.m. Nov. 16, Goebel Adult Community Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. Pictorial historian Ed Lawrence will focus on the mid-1950s Conejo Valley with a narrative about the early pioneers. Tickets are $5. Call 381-2744 for more information.
Medicare one-stop shops: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Nov. 5 at the Area Agency on Aging offices in Ventura; 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 11 at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center in Camarillo; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 4 at the Ojai Little House in Ojai.
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