More than 300 gather for Meeting of the Minds annual conference

TARRYTOWN – On Thursday, May 17, more than 300 people gathered for the Meeting of the Minds Regional Dementia conference held at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Attendees were primarily a mix of professionals and family caregivers for people with dementia from around the Hudson Valley.

The event began with a presentation by keynote speaker Daniel Kuhn, LCSW, vice president of education for All Trust Home Care in Chicago and the author of numerous books about caregiving, who spoke about “Keeping Connected to Someone with Dementia.”

According to Kuhn, strategies for maintaining a close connection include remembering to speak slowly in simple, straightforward language that is easy to understand, since people with dementia gradually lose their verbal capacity and can no longer follow complex sentences.

Another strategy Kuhn cited is letting go of the need for facts and accuracy in interacting with someone who has the disease. While it can be tempting to correct someone when they say something that is blatantly untrue -- such as identifying the color blue as green -- this can be counterproductive and upsetting for everyone involved. A more effective approach is to accept the reality the person is experiencing and be creative in one’s response to it.

“The best caregivers are like improvisational actors,” Kuhn said.

Also featured during the conference's lunch break was Jessica Zwerling, MD, MS, who gave a presentation, “Comprehensive Clinical Update in Neurodegenerative Disease.”

Morning and afternoon breakout sessions were offered on a variety of topics including legal and financial issues to consider, paying for long-term care, healthy lifestyle, relaxation techniques for caregivers and making difficult dementia-related decisions. The conference also included exhibitors from businesses in dementia and elder-care fields that attendees were able to visit between the educational sessions.

The conference’s presenting sponsor was Montefiore Health System, which consists of 11 hospitals; a primary and specialty care network of more than 180 locations across Westchester County, the lower Hudson Valley and the Bronx; an extended care facility; the Montefiore School of Nursing and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

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 www.alz.org/hudsonvalley or call 800.272.3900.