Dementia Simulation House at UNI

This group has been so much fun for us to work with! We love their dedication to inclusion! VOYA the salon

Shoutout to in Cedar Falls for taking the training to become recognized as a Dementia Friendly Business! We appreciate you seeking to better serve your clients living with dementia. In addition, Latasha's other business, Fifth Generation Natural Skin and Hair () has also become recognized as a Dementia Friendly Business. 🧡💜

We love that you turned the tables on them for a photo!

We visited the Dementia Simulation House today at the University of Northern Iowa. These ladies did an amazing job at explaining how dementia alters our senses and impacts our daily lives.

We had so much fun with this group! It is great to work with people who are so invested in the Cedar Valley! 

This afternoon, Dr. Eshbaugh and Elsie from the Dementia Simulation House at UNI presented on important topics for fundraisers to know when working with people living with dementia. They are a fantastic resource, and we highly encourage you to learn more!

https://csbs.uni.edu/family-aging-counseling/centers-initiatives/dementia-simulation-house

Did you know it’s National Non-Profit Day! We get to work with so many fantastic non-profits in the Cedar Valley!

Community Resources | Cedar Valley Nonprofit Association Explore valuable resources and support for the nonprofit sector in Northeast Iowa with the Cedar Valley Nonprofit Association. Access coaching, evaluations, website support, and more through our partnerships.

We love this crew from Leader Valley! Take a look at the great work they do to promote leadership in our schools: https://leadervalley.org/

This morning, the Leader Valley team got the opportunity to experience the Dementia Simulation House at UNI. The students and faculty at the Dementia Simulation House focus on educating individuals about Alzheimer's and other dementias, increasing empathy for those living with dementia, and empowering care partners. This was an incredible opportunity to learn more about how we can support older individuals experiencing dementia in our community!

If you're interested in lining up a visit for your group, visit https://csbs.uni.edu/family-aging-counseling/centers-initiatives/dementia-simulation-house

We love Leader Valley!

We loved having these friends from UnityPoint visit us to experience dementia!

We loved meeting these friends today. Thanks for taking a step to make our community more dementia friendly! And great work, Samantha Heyer!

Thank you to our newest Dementia Friends who attended our session this morning at the Waterloo Public Library. Our intern & Champion, Sami Heyer, did a wonderful job presenting.

Thanks for visiting from Kansas City, Erin and Lily!

Are you an Iowa business owner/manager who would like to better serve customers living with dementia? We are looking for restaurants, stores, hair salons, spas, health care providers, electricians, plumbers, and more.....

To become a Dementia Friendly business/organization, you are required to do a one-hour training with at least 50% of your staff present. You'll get a sticker for your door, recognition on our website, and a listing on our Dementia Friendly business/organization handout for families and those living with dementia.

We are flexible--you can come to us or we will come to you!

Email [email protected] or call 319.273.5765 for questions or to schedule.

Hey Iowa libraries! We are looking for you!

We’d like to do free one hour trainings with your staff so you are Dementia Friendly!

Here is more about the initiative: https://dementiafriendlyiowa.org/

Email [email protected] or call 319 273 5765 for more info or to schedule.

Dementia Friendly Iowa | Supporting Dementia Friendliness in Iowa Supporting communities where people with dementia can live and thrive. Dementia Friendly Iowa promotes change and education in communities to create a more welcoming, safe, and respectful space for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Dementia Friendly Iowa is an initiative of the North...

Are you interested in participating in an intergenerational book club? We will be offering 3 different sessions throughout the fall semester. Depending on your interest and availability, you may register to participate in one, two, or all three of the sessions with us! Our goal is to have a mix of ages and community members/students at each session to help promote diverse perspectives and discussion about the books!

Today's blog post from Dr. Eshbaugh---------

The loss of driving. The loss of employment. The loss of marital intimacy. The loss of independence. The loss of physical ability.

Someone I know is mourning the loss of being able to read.

Someone else is mourning the loss of being able to go for a walk alone.

Those are legitimate losses. Care partners sometimes struggle to acknowledge these losses because they are mourning their own (also legitimate) losses.

There are just a lot of losses. And, despite our best efforts to appreciate a person with dementia in the moment, the losses are present and we can’t dismiss that.

Acknowledging the Losses My team and I take a strengths-based approach to dementia. This is what I teach my college students and promote when I have speaking engagements. Focus on the strengths of the individual living wit…

Our Champion in the spotlight today is Denell Henninger! In addition to being a Champion, Denell works at the Dementia Simulation House at UNI.

"I love being a Dementia Friends Champion by lending a hand and being part of a team that is passionate about increasing awareness of those in our communities who are living with dementia. Through the promotion of education, empathy, and empowerment, it is heartwarming to see individuals feel comfortable walking towards someone living with dementia by lending a helping hand and a smile. Kindness doesn't cost a penny but it sure can go a long way in helping someone have the best day possible."

Thank you, Denell, for inspiring others to walk towards people living with dementia. Your kindness shines brightly to others around you!

Today's When Dementia Knocks post:
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I am not looking for a political battle here, and this isn't a political post. This is about our society's attitude toward dementia. We make fun of people with dementia in ways we would never make fun of people with other illnesses.

Think about it. If Biden had dropped out of the race because he had cancer, people would show more sensitivity. Even his political enemies (for the most part) would wish him well...whether they were sincere or not....because that's what you do. It would be in bad taste to mock someone with cancer. But it's apparently okay to mock someone with dementia.

WordPress.com

We love getting feedback, and we couldn’t agree more. Email dementia.simulation or call 319-273-5765 to schedule a time to do the simulation.

Thanks to this crew from Discovery Living for driving up from Cedar Rapids today! We loved visiting with you at the house!

Anytime is a good time to take charge of your brain health. 🧠 No matter your age or stage in life, you can get started with these 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain: alz.org/healthyhabits.

We are hiring! We are excited to announce the opening of a new part-time position for a Dementia Service Specialist. This pilot role is a fantastic opportunity to further our goal of supporting communities where people living with dementia can live and thrive.

This position at the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging involves delivering specialized services to enhance the quality of life for those affected by dementia. Key responsibilities include:
✔️Planning & conducting initial care consultations for people living with dementia/caregivers.
✔️Providing dementia education to families, caregivers, organizations, and communities.
✔️Initiating outreach in local communities to make connections & advance Dementia Friendly Iowa efforts.

We are looking for a dedicated individual with experience in dementia-specific care, support, or education. This position offers flexibility and the chance to make a meaningful impact. It will be mainly based in the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging 18-county region, which will require travel. The position may be hybrid if the individual is interested in working remotely, but travel for meetings & care consultations within NE Iowa will be required. The role will be approximately 20-hours/week.

To apply online visit: https://nei3a.org/dementia-service-specialist/

If you have questions, please contact NEI3A’s Human Resource department at 1-800-243-0678 or email [email protected].

Today's blog post from When Dementia Knocks:

There should be no shame in placing your loved one in a facility. My dad was in a nursing home in at the end of his life. In fact, he was in 5-6 of them (some bad and some better) over his final six months. He was not thrilled to be there.

“Shoot me before you put me in one of those places,” he used to tell me. I’d tell him I didn’t love him enough to spend the rest of my life in prison. That, my friend, is the extent of a heartfelt conversation among the Eshbaughs. Maybe you can relate.

Dementia and the Decision (aka When Can My Loved One No Longer Live at Home?)

Happy Amazon prime day to all those who celebrate!

It would be a great time to buy us a present off of our Amazon wishlist… just sayin’!

Check out my list on Amazon

It was great having these employees of Cedar Valley Hospice at the Dem Sim House for a simulation today!