JGS Lifecare Hosts Series of Dementia-education Programs in April

LONGMEADOW — JGS LifeEd, a series of learning opportunities related to elder-care health and well-being, are held across the JGS Lifecare campus in Longmeadow and cover a wide range of topics.

In April, Leavitt Family Jewish Home will host a three-part dementia-education series presented by Dr. Diane Dietzen, Dr. Rebecca Stetzer, Barbara Macdonald, and other members of the JGS Lifecare palliative-care and hospice-care team. They will offer information and lead a 30-minute discussion of the topic following each presentation in the facility’s Gloth Auditorium. The topics are:

• “Introduction to Dementia,” Wednesday, April 6, 5 to 6:15 p.m. The focus of this introductory session will be on the diagnosis and the first interval of months or years for a patient with dementia. Dietzen and her team of experts will help participants recognize early signs and symptoms of dementia, and provide information on transitioning patients with dementia to long-term care facilities, as well as the resources needed for this transition.

• “Complications of Dementia,” Monday, April 11, 5 to 6:15 p.m. During this session, participants will learn more about the complications of dementia, including early functional decline, increasing confusion and agitation, as well as difficulties with eating and infections. Presenters will also touch on more severe functional decline at end of life.

• “Advanced Care Planning in Dementia,” Tuesday, April 12, 5 to 6:15 p.m. This presentation will return to the transition points in care, and to some common care decisions that need to be made to advance care planning for patients with dementia.