Every day at the Penn Memory Center, we hear caregivers describe the emotional, physical, and logistical challenges of caring for their loved ones. We’re here to help.
Through the Empowering Caregivers series, caregivers will have access to area experts who will present on a variety of intensive topics from symptom management to end-of-life care.
Over the Rainbow and Under Duress: Aging Care as an LGBTQ+ Issue
with G.J. Hodson, MA, CHW
Friday, November 13, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Description: You may know that up to one in three adults in the U.S. is a caregiver for a family member or loved one, but do you know that LGBTQ+ adults perform as caregivers up to twice as often as their straight peers? Join G.J. Hodson for a thoughtful conversation about what aging, dementia, and care mean in LGBTQ+ communities, plus fascinating research findings and light-hearted commentary on how supporting LGBTQ+ caregivers benefits all families.
Bio: G.J. Hodson is a facilitator, community health worker, and writer specializing in supporting uncommon caregivers. Previously a relationship educator, political communicator, and haunted house scarecrow, G.J. spent their early 30s caring for their adoptive grandfather with Alzheimer’s and their late 30s in graduate school trying to process the experience through sociology. Then they graduated into a pandemic. G.J. has advised the Alzheimer’s Association, National Alliance for Caregiving, and One Free Community, and recently relocated to Buffalo, New York.
Eating Well Through Dementia: Practical Strategies for Every Stage
with Ayanna Smart, RD
Friday, December 11, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Description: Eating problems are common in dementia, and change as people move through their dementia journey. A person with dementia may lose interest in food, forget how to use utensils, or insist they have already eaten when they have not. Caregivers often have few resources to help them understand what is happening or how to help. This presentation will help caregivers understand eating difficulties at different stages of dementia and how to respond with practical strategies. Participants will learn how to identify common causes of poor eating, adapt meals to changing abilities, and leave with tools they can begin using immediately to help their loved ones eat better.
Bio: Ayanna Smart, RD, is a Registered Dietitian specializing in nutrition for people living with dementia. With nearly a decade of experience supporting individuals with dementia and their families, she helps caregivers understand how dementia changes eating and uses evidence-based strategies to make mealtimes safer, less stressful, and more successful. Through her platform, The Dementia Dietitian, Ayanna translates complex nutrition and dementia research into clear advice that caregivers can use at home. Her mission is to help families spend less time worrying about food and more time enjoying meaningful moments together.
