Creatively Aging

Yesterday spent a roller-coaster of a day at the Living Well with Memory Loss conference sponsored by the dynamically impressive Dr. Linda Buettner at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It felt a little like trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant: so much energy, enthusiasm and expertise compressed into so little time and space. But worth it!

Noteworthy things that come to mind immediately: the incredible competence and passion with issue has ignited in presenters and audience alike. Almost everyone I heard (in the audience) admitted to having a direct personal connection to this disease and yet a powerful presentation was on the stigma felt by people with dementia and their caregivers; the fact that drug treatments can slow progression and that non-pharmacological treatments do exist and yet most people diagnosed with dementia do learn receive information about complementary therapies at the time of diagnosis. And there’s more…