Senior Living Specialists of Colorado

Dignify Dementia Dignify Dementia promotes dementia awareness & provides links to support and resources for caregivers.

Support Celebrate and Support Dignify Dementia! on Colorado Gives 365 Please donate now and help us keep up the momentum of support for the dementia community!

Dignify Dementia – I'm Still Listening - Alzheimer's Speaks Personal Journeys with Dementia Can Be Life-Changing on Many Levels Lori La Bey talks with Jennifer Desserich who is the Founder and Executive Director of Dignify Dementia, a nonprofit organization. Jennifer created after years of being a care partner to her dad, Jim, who was diagnosed with Lewy Bod...

Susan Schneider Williams, wife of actor and comedian Robin Williams, shares the couple’s struggle with a disease that went undiagnosed until after Robin’s death in SPARK. Find this film in the LBDA Mediflix library to learn about and the importance of an early and accurate diagnosis.

Watch SPARK at http://ow.ly/L3SU50NijGL

Senior care is crushingly expensive. Boomers aren’t ready. An estimated 18 million middle-income baby boomers will not have enough to pay for care for moderate to severe needs, according to one analysis.

If I get dementia, I’d like my family to hang this wish list up on the wall where I live. I want them to remember these things.

1. If I get dementia, I want my friends and family to embrace my reality.
2. If I think my spouse is still alive, or if I think we’re visiting my parents for dinner, let me believe those things. I’ll be much happier for it.
3. If I get dementia, don’t argue with me about what is true for me versus what is true for you.
4. If I get dementia, and I am not sure who you are, do not take it personally. My timeline is confusing to me.
5. If I get dementia, and can no longer use utensils, do not start feeding me. Instead, switch me to a finger-food diet, and see if I can still feed myself.
6. If I get dementia, and I am sad or anxious, hold my hand and listen. Do not tell me that my feelings are unfounded.
7. If I get dementia, I don’t want to be treated like a child. Talk to me like the adult that I am.
8. If I get dementia, I still want to enjoy the things that I’ve always enjoyed. Help me find a way to exercise, read, and visit with friends.
9. If I get dementia, ask me to tell you a story from my past.
10. If I get dementia, and I become agitated, take the time to figure out what is bothering me.
11. If I get dementia, treat me the way that you would want to be treated.
12. If I get dementia, make sure that there are plenty of snacks for me in the house. Even now if I don’t eat I get angry, and if I have dementia, I may have trouble explaining what I need.
13. If I get dementia, don’t talk about me as if I’m not in the room.
14. If I get dementia, don’t feel guilty if you cannot care for me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s not your fault, and you’ve done your best. Find someone who can help you, or choose a great new place for me to live.
15. If I get dementia, and I live in a dementia care community, please visit me often.
16. If I get dementia, don’t act frustrated if I mix up names, events, or places. Take a deep breath. It’s not my fault.
17. If I get dementia, make sure I always have my favorite music playing within earshot.
18. If I get dementia, and I like to pick up items and carry them around, help me return those items to their original place.
19. If I get dementia, don’t exclude me from parties and family gatherings.
20. If I get dementia, know that I still like receiving hugs or handshakes.
21. If I get dementia, remember that I am still the person you know and love.”

Meet CGS Staff: Marcela Gaete Fuentes has been with CGS for over 11 years. She is a project manager for Latino Services, providing interpretation for Spanish speaking clients. She also supports other important programs offered by The Society, including Vision, Hearing and Dental grants, community outreach and Medicare education. Marcela finds her work at CGS to be very rewarding: "Senior adults can be a very isolated and marginalized community, so working on projects that will advance and fulfill older adults' life and community is what makes my work fulfilling," she said.
Do you need translation services? For help in Spanish contact CGS at 1-822-880-4777. Look for a "Leer en español" link on CGS online education and information pages that have already been translated.

Why Aren’t Doctors Screening Older Americans for Anxiety? Anxiety disorders are common among seniors, but an influential panel seems likely to recommend against routine screening. Some experts disagree.