Community Corner
Alzheimer's Association to host Wellness Retreat in Claryville
Free event features joint and separate activities for people with dementia and their family caregivers
CLARYVILLE -- The Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter will hold its 8th Annual Wellness Retreat for unpaid family caregivers and people with dementia from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, at Frost Valley YMCA, 2000 Frost Valley Road.
The free event will include relaxing activities for caregivers apart from their loved ones with respite care provided as well as activities they can do together. Crafts, gentle exercise and music will be available, and lunch is included.
Art therapist Lisa Papantoniou and her husband, Sam Papantoniou, are caregivers for her father, Gregory Syrianos, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013. Last year, Sam Papantoniou attended the retreat with his father-in-law.
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He said could not have asked for a better day.
“There was so much to do. I enjoyed a massage and joined the Music Social with Greg. He was resistant to participating, but I convinced him to try with the promise of partaking in the barbecue afterwards -- which was excellent. I had the opportunity to speak with interesting caregivers and learned how they cope with day-to-day living with the person they care for.”
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Sam Papantoniou said he plans to attend the Wellness Retreat again, noting that the experience was eye-opening for him.
“The retreat moved me; it has opened my eyes to being more caring and understanding and just being there for a person,” he said. “I wish I would have known about the Association and especially the retreat when my grandmother was alive. She and I would have been able to enjoy the day together.”
Bus pickups will be available in Liberty, Monticello and Wurtsboro. Call 845.292.6180 or email sullivan@cornell.edu to RSVP or visit sullivancce.org to RSVP.
The wellness retreat is supported in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Health and presented by the Caregiver Resource Center, a partnership between Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, the Alzheimer’s Association and the Sullivan County Office for the Aging. The center provides science-based educational programs and support for caregivers assisting individuals who are aging, ill, disabled, or living with dementia-related diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. To learn more, visit www.sullivancce.org/home-family/caregiver-resource-center or call 845.292.6180.
About Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, available resources and how you can get involved to support the cause. Visit alz.org/abam to learn more about Alzheimer’s, share your story and how you can support the cause during Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month
About the Hudson Valley Chapter
The Hudson Valley Chapter serves families living with dementia in seven counties in New York, including Duchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. To learn more about the programs and services offered locally, visit alz.org/hudsonvalley.
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Its vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
