Kelly McCarthy of Benchmark Senior Living to Give Keynote at the RI Alzheimer's Association's Caregiver's Journey Conference

Kelly McCarthy, Director of Memory Care Services and Programming at Benchmark Senior Living and author of the forthcoming book “Brass Ring Memoirs,” will be the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Caregiver’s Journey Conference hosted by the Rhode Island chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association on March 31.

In her keynote address, McCarthy will share stories from her journey across the U.S. and her experiences supporting and educating caregivers and family members who care for those with memory loss. McCarthy, a certified dementia care practitioner and master trainer for the Alzheimer’s Association in Rhode Island, believes caregivers need to balance person-centered care with an understanding of the disease.

“People can at times be inclined to blame those with memory loss for their actions, instead of trying to identify the possible cause of those actions,” McCarthy said. “It’s important to understand that as the disease progresses we as caregivers must remind ourselves not to place judgment on the person and instead blame the disease for the difficult and often times hard to understand behaviors. One of the most difficult things you will ever have to do as an Alzheimer’s caregiver is separate the disease from the person.”

After the keynote, McCarthy will lead a breakout session with stories and advice on how to manage challenges that come with sexuality and memory loss. A popular session whenever she gives it, McCarthy’s talk is intended for both caregivers and professionals. The session “If It Looks Like Sex and It Seems Like Sex, What Is It?” is scheduled for 11:45am to 12:45pm on March 31. CEU credits are available for RN, SW, and RIALA.

The Caregiver’s Journey Conference is offering twenty-one workshops presented by experts in the field of Alzheimer’s care. The event is sponsored in part by the Division of Elderly Affairs, RI Department of Human Services, sponsors including Benchmark Senior Living, and with funds from the U.S. Administration on Aging. It is estimated that as many as 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, with over 22,000 individuals affected by Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in Rhode Island.

Registration is now open for the conference, which will be hosted at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick. The Caregiver’s Journey Conference is one of the largest events in Rhode Island for caregivers and healthcare professionals, attracting more than 600 attendees.

McCarthy’s book, Brass Ring Memoirs, will be coming out soon and you will be able to enjoy more of her stories in this heartwarming and powerful guide to supporting and educating caregivers and family members with touching stories of her experiences as she traveled across the U.S., and the moments she was able to share with the people she met along the way.

In addition to her role at Benchmark Senior Living, McCarthy is a member of the memory care roundtable at Argentum. In Rhode Island, she helped to develop the RI 2010 Train the Trainer Memory Care 12-hour state-recognized training program for caregivers.

Register online at: http://www.alz.org/ri/in_my_community_59134.asp