The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center is offering a Grandchildren’s Workshop for children, for ages 6-12, who have a grandparent or other family member living with a form of dementia. The workshop will be held on Saturday, August 3, from 10:00 am until 12:30 pm at The Bridge office, located at 851 Olive Street in Shreveport. The workshop is free of charge and parents are invited to sit in during the event.
“Our goal, by offering this first of its kind workshop in Northwest Louisiana, is to help grandchildren understand a grandparent’s dementia,” stated Paulette Freeman, executive director of The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center. “We saw this as an opportunity for us to help the children understand the disease in a fun and creative way with other children who are facing the same issues with their grandparent or other family member.”
Listed are some reasons why a workshop like this is beneficial for a child whose grandparent has some form of dementia. From a child’s standpoint, they may remember grandma or grandpa as the ones who watched them while mom and dad were away, who spoiled them with food and snacks, who played fun games with them, or had a sleepover at their home. Unfortunately, dementia can take these memories away from a grandparent and it can be upsetting for a young child. Explaining what Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia can be challenging. Explaining the grandparent’s change in behavior can be challenging as well. It is important for the child to know that they are not the ones causing these changes.
The workshop will be facilitated by the licensed professional counselors who are on staff at The Bridge. Lunch is provided and registration is required for planning purposes. To register, call The Bridge office at 318-656-4800.
The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center provides education, resources, and support services for those in our community diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, as well as to their family members and caregivers and to promote awareness. The Bridge vision is to create a community where no one affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia makes the journey alone.
The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All funds raised by the organization are used to provide services in the Northwest Louisiana community. For more information on their services, call 318-656-4800 or visit www.alzbridge.org.
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