Building Connection, Compassion, and Dementia Awareness
By, Emily Mysel, LCSW, Senior Program Manager & Crisis Specialist, FSG
I attended my first Alzheimer Day at Mesulam Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine over 20 years ago as a bright-eyed, overwhelmed, but eager future social worker, passionate about helping people “suffering” from dementia. At that time, I didn’t know what I didn’t know, except for the fact that this was the population that I wanted to support throughout my career. As I sat in the audience this week at the 32nd Annual Alzheimer Day, I reflected on how the resources, support, and information have changed through the years, but my passion and drive to advocate for this population has not diminished.
The same commitment has also shaped the work happening here in our own community. The Village of Glencoe was recognized as a Dementia Friendly Community by Dementia Friendly America in 2019, and over the past seven years an array of services and programs have been created to support individuals and families impacted by the disease. Family Service of Glencoe (FSG) has recently collaborated with Chicago Botanic Garden to provide training and guidance on how to help make the gardens more dementia friendly, and I am honored to be included in their Accessibility Advisory Committee. This collaboration will make the gardens a more dementia and age friendly environment for all visitors. As a result of these efforts, the Garden has established ongoing Memory Cafes and will host another Dementia Friendly Day on September 22nd. Stay tuned for more information about the event.
As awareness and community support continue to grow, so does the recognition that caregivers also need meaningful support and connection. In response to this need, FSG and Guardian Home Health Care collaborated to start a Dementia Caregiver Support Group. This group offers a supportive and confidential space where caregivers can connect, share experiences, and find emotional support with others who are facing similar challenges. The group meets in-person on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10:30 am -12:00 pm.
Dementia does not discriminate and impacts the entire family system. This is why I continue to emphasize the importance of being educated and knowledgeable about the early signs of memory loss so individuals and families can play an active part in their dementia journey. For those experiencing cognitive changes or navigating an official diagnosis, you are not alone. FSG is here for you. We offer memory screenings, dementia consults, resources and referrals, safety modification recommendations, intergenerational programming, counseling, and so much more.
As I continue to reflect on my journey of caring for those living with dementia, and as a granddaughter of two grandparents who passed away from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, I remain vocal, passionate, and driven to help individuals and families affected by this disease. FSG is here to help process those feelings of grief and loss, Individuals can live a meaningful life with this disease and can continue to maintain their social connections. My goal is to continue to change the language of “suffering from dementia” to “living with dementia” because everyone deserves to live a meaningful and fulfilling life, no matter their age or diagnosis.