NRC Hosts Dr. Gaugler for Alzheimer's Education Event

Event Marks First of Three Events in Alzheimer's Education and Awareness Series

Northfield Retirement Community is hosting the University of Minnesota’s Dr. Joseph E. Gaugler for an Alzheimer’s education and awareness event on Tuesday, August 30, at 7:00 p.m., at Bethel Lutheran Church (1321 North Ave., Northfield). “Alzheimer’s: What It Is and What Can be Done” will explore Alzheimer’s disease and technology that supports aging adults suffering from the disease. The event is free and open to the public with no RSVP required. It is the first of three Alzheimer’s education events NRC will host in the next few weeks.

Led by the University of Minnesota’s Dr. Joseph E. Gaugler, “Alzheimer’s: What It Is and What Can be Done” will offer education about the disease and inform about a new study Dr. Gaugler is conducting through the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and Center on Aging on the effectiveness of a remote health monitoring system, eNeighbor, which serves people with memory loss who live at home with family members or caregivers. The goal of this technology is to keep people at home as long as possible and to support their caregivers. In partnership with Dr. Gaugler, NRC is seeking families, partners and friends who are caregivers of persons with memory loss to potentially participate in this study. Everyone selected will receive the eNeighbor technology free for 18 months.

NRC President and CEO Kyle Nordine said, “We’re committed to providing aging adults with the support and care options they want. While technology will never replace the importance of person-to-person care, it can help some seniors maintain their independence for longer in a safe environment. We are excited to partner with the University of Minnesota on this new endeavor.”

Later in September, NRC will host a second event in its Alzheimer’s that series explores the ways that Northfield can offer support to the growing aging-in-community movement. This conversation will be led by Barbara Speedling, author of “Why Is Grandma Screaming?: A Practical Guide to Improving Quality of Life in Long Term Care” and will take place on Saturday, September 24, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Northfield.

The event series wraps up on Sunday, September 25, with the ninth annual Walk to Remember, a community event designed to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Teams or individuals can register at Eventbrite to participate in this very fun outing. Pre-walk entertainment, featuring The WhiteSidewalls, will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the walk will begin at 2:00 p.m.