Feature Speakers on Caregiving and Alzheimer’s Research
The Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter will hold a Virtual Purple Sunday Kickoff event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, via Zoom. This kickoff is designed to introduce people unfamiliar to Purple Sunday to the program and increase general awareness of Alzheimer’s and other dementia in the African American and Hispanic communities through houses of worship. While anyone is welcome to attend this free webinar, organizers would particularly like to invite local faith leaders and their spouses, deacons, stewards and health ministry members.
The program will feature two guest speakers, starting with Naa-Solo Tettey, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Public Health at William Patterson University, who will speak on “Matters of the Heart: Tips for Caregiver Wellness.” Tettey is the creator and director of HeartSmarts, which aims to improve health disparities related to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and hypertension in the African American community. An expert in faith-based health education, she holds a doctorate in health and behavior studies from Teachers College, Columbia University, a master of public health degree from the University of Connecticut and an MBA in health care administration from the State University of New York. She is also a master certified health education specialist certified in public health and an American College of Sports Medicine certified wellness coach. “I plan to cover the impact of stress on the health of caregivers, the connection between stress, brain health and heart health and provide tips for managing stress and overall health,” Tettey said. “Stress is considered a part of life. However, caregivers, who are usually under a great deal of stress, may not understand or consider how stress can negatively impact their heart and brain health. I am excited to participate in Purple Sunday to provide education, resources and tools to empower caregivers to also focus on their health during challenging times.”
Tettey will be followed by Meg Boyce, Research Champion and Vice President of Programs and Services for the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter, who will give an update on the latest in dementia research. Meg Boyce received a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University in 1995 and worked in long-term care before joining the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley Chapter as program director in 2000, becoming vice president of programs and services in 2013. In this role, she oversees the programs and services the chapter offers to meet the needs of Hudson Valley community. “There are a lot of exciting breakthroughs happening in dementia research right now, and I look forward to sharing some of the findings with everyone who tunes into our Purple Sunday Kickoff,” said Boyce. As a Research Champion for the Alzheimer’s Association, Boyce is regularly updated on scientific advances in research into Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. “It is important to us as an organization to make sure we get the word out about Alzheimer’s and dementia in communities of color, and Purple Sunday, by reaching out to those communities through their houses of worship, is one of the best ways we do it.”
