From 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 6, the Alzheimer’s Association will host a free virtual symposium focused on the impact of dementia on minority communities.
The event will start with a showing of “In Our Right Mind,” a documentary that follows two families’ struggles to balance their caregiving duties with their daily lives and the memories of who their loved ones once were. It also travels across the country with researchers looking at the specific effects of Alzheimer’s in communities of color and exploring how to fight the disease when there is no cure.
The film will be followed by a panel discussion featuring producer and narrator Renee Chenault-Fattah; Collette V. Smith, the first female African American coach for the N.Y. Jets and a caregiver for her mother; and Pastor Viviana De Cohen of Mount Vernon Heights Congregational Church.
At 11 a.m., Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, will give a keynote presentation on Alzheimer’s in the minority community, which will be followed by a brief presentation by Dr. Christiane Reitz of Columbia University.
To register, visit the website or call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800.272.3900.
The symposium is supported in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Health. Sponsors include AARP New York; Andrus on Hudson; The Westchester County Chapter of the Links, Inc.; and Westchester Public Private Partnership for Aging Services.
“It is our responsibility to educate and empower our communities of color, especially African Americans about the devastating Alzheimer’s disease, as it is the fourth leading cause of death for African Americans,” said Terry A Joyner, president of the Westchester County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. “We are honored again to collaborate with the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter on its third symposium. We look forward to you joining us virtually to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease.”
