a garden tour, healing arts with Tinia Clark, Arts Ensemble Education Foundation, dinner and a moonlight carillon concert. Starting around 4:15, attendees  will be given a guided tour of the beautiful gardens visiting the crown jewel of the gardens, the Singing Tower. Dinner served around 6:00 p.m. is sponsored by Family Elder Law and Sun Trust.  The evening carillon concernt only happens once a month during a full moon and begins at 7:30.  Companies who want to be a part of this event are welcome to donate door prizes. For more information email thompsons@alzflgulf.org or call 863-292-9210.

Last year, the Florida Legislature approved legislation that created an 18-member Purple Ribbon Task Force that will develop a comprehensive state plan to address the growing needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.

The new law requires the Task Force to assess the current impact of the disease and determine what future steps are needed to support the growing number of families affected by this devastating disease. With the leadership of Representative Matt Hudson (Naples) and Senator Garrett Richter (Naples), the bill moved swiftly through the legislative process with full support by the entire Legislature and the Governor.

Since the final approval by the Governor, the 18 members were appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Florida Senate, and the Governor. Representative Matt Hudson was unanimously appointed by the members to Chair the Task Force.

The Purple Ribbon Task Force immediately mapped dementia-specific services around the state and identified the gaps in services. To date, the Purple Ribbon Task Force has met five times by webinar; created four subcommittees who have met multiple times. As required by law, the Task Force submitted an Interim Report to the Governor, Speaker and President on January 30. 2013.

The Task Force now begins the second phase of the year-long process by assessing the services and gaps, and developing a comprehensive plan that will include recommendations for change. The Task Force must submit the plan to the Speaker, President and Governor by August 1, 2013. We are anticipating Alzheimer legislation during the 2014 Legislative Session that will include many of the recommended changes made by the Purple Ribbon Task Force.

Gloria J.T. Smith, President/CEO of the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter was appointed to serve on the Purple Ribbon Task Force.

Are you or someone you know experiencing early stage dementia?  If so, they may qualify to participate in one of our early stage programs. 

For more information contact your local office. 

A caregiver obtained a wireless doormat chime on Amazon.com. When the mat is stepped on a chime sounds on the chiming unit which alerts the caregiver that their loved one is on the move. The mat can be placed by the side of a bed or in front of a door.

Since, six out of ten people with Alzheimer's disease will wander and wandering can happen at any stage of the disease, it is important to take steps to increase the safety of the person with dementia. A chiming doormat is just one of many options or tools available to increase the safety of a loved one. Other options include the following:

• The MedicAlert® + Alzheimer's Association Safe Return® program is a nationwide identification program designed to save lives by facilitating the safe return of those whose wander. It includes an identification bracelet for the person with dementia as well as an optional caregiver bracelet.
• The Comfort Zone® and Comfort Zone Check-In™programs allows families to monitor a loved one's whereabouts remotely using web-based location services.

Alzheimer's Navigator™

A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease raises many questions. The Alzheimer's Navigator - a free online tool designed specifically to help guide you to answers by creating customized action plans and providing access to information, support and local resources.

When facing dementia, there are a lot of things to consider. Alzheimer's Navigator helps map out a plan to approach Alzheimer's disease. Follow simple steps to figure out the next steps to develop a personalized action plan.

• Complete the Welcome Survey (Estimated time: 5 minutes). Example questions: Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer's or living with the disease yourself? What sort of challenges do you face on a daily basis?
• Answer focused surveys (Estimated time: 5 minutes). Based on your responses to the Welcome Survey, we will suggest additional surveys focused on the topics you want to know about, covering everything from care to safety to planning for the future.
• Receive a customized Action Plan. (See sample). We will deliver a tailored plan in an easy-to-use format.

Ready to get started? Go to the Alzheimer's Navigator page and take the first steps towards your personalized action plan.