Online Dementia Journal 
Teepa Snow 
Today's Voice for Dementia
 
Teepa is an advocate for those living with dementia and has made it her personal mission to help families and professionals better understand how it feels to be living with dementia related challenges and change. Her company, Positive Approach, LLC was founded in 2005 and offers education to family and professional care partners all over the world. Her goal? Making a difference...one mind at a time.
 
SEEING LEWY BODY DEMENTIA FROM MANY PERSPECTIVES
by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA 
 
Two common sayings when it comes to dementia are as follows:
  • When you have met one person living with dementia, you have met one person.
  • If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's most likely a duck.
While both have elements of truth in them, both also can inspire much misunderstanding of the experience of living with dementia. This has never been more true than when coping with the condition called Lewy Body Disease (LBD). If we believe that each person is absolutely unique and different, then we can fall into the trap of thinking that they are the problem. That person is acting weird. That person is not trying; they can do it when they want to. That person is being paranoid or delusional and ignoring the facts. When we approach LBD in this way, there is blame assigned, and therefore there is no value in digging deeper into what is causing this escalation or change, or more importantly, in changing our approach and abilities.
 
  Read or download the full article 
More from Teepa    
THE DARKER SIDE OF LEWY BODY

 

After more than two years in the making and many revisions, Where Did You Go? has finally come to be! This groundbreaking artistic interpretation of a woman living alone without knowledge of her changing condition provides the film world with a peek into the world of living unsupported with LBD. British filmmaker and director, Jay Jones and his team have completed this short film and have already received festival awards and recognition for its value and artistic impact. They are seeking additional support and funding to expand its reach. The goal for this film is to open the door for discussion of the risks we run when we live without awareness of this condition. Please scroll down to read more about this unique project. 
 
 

In a recent article published by Neurolgy.org, Susan Schneider Williams, Robin Williams widow, chronicles their journey in trying to figure out what was happening to her husband. It is clear that his progression was dramatic and severe. What is less apparent, however, is the possible difference in life experience they might have had if LBD had been explored as a possible cause and supportive measures had been put in place. What if Robin Williams had known that he was not causing his own symptoms, and that they were fluctuating, and that he could talk about all of his symptoms without fear of stigma and labeling? What if medication management had been more carefully considered, given the pattern of symptoms? It is possible he may have still chosen to end his life when he did, but it is possible he could have done it with less fear, isolation, and dread.  

THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF LEWY BODY 

Robert Bowles, a retired pharmacist from Thomaston, GA, was diagnosed with LBD in 2010.  He has since started LBD:  Living Beyond Diagnosis as a way to connect and offer his experience and support to others who are living with this type of dementia.  Robert recently hosted an event in his hometown to bring awareness about dementia to the community.  Through this outreach, Judy, Robert's wife was able to find some of the support she so needed - to support her self and Robert - in a loving and caring community.

Click here to read an article from The Upson Beacon about this event (you will need to scroll down to locate the article.)

Norman McNamara (Norrms) campaigns tirelessly on behalf of others with dementia.  Norrms a resident of Torbay, Devon, UK was diagnosed with dementia at only 50 years of age. Whilst out shopping one day he was rudely spoken to by a shopkeeper and decided to change the way people see dementia and treat others. You can follow his work via the Purple Angel Dementia Awareness Campaign website, and through his Dementia Aware group on Facebook. Norrms has also written for Young Dementia UK about his dementia diagnosis and has written a number of books about living with dementia. 


Lauren U Ga Mei of California, is living with LBD.  Learn more about Lauren's journey by revisiting this article from the February Edition of the Journal.  Lauren has become a very valuable member of the Positive Approach to Care Team.  She sometimes travels to Teepa's events to share about her experience living with LBD.  In her spare time, Lauren expresses herself through art.  She recently created the piece below to reflect the values of Positive Approach.  Thank you, Lauren, for sharing with us!





 presents
Where Did You Go? 
A Film by Jay Joseph Jones
ONE STORY. A FILM PROFILING LEWY BODY DEMENTIA.
In association with: Teepa Snow and Positive Approach®, Dementia Spotlight Foundation, University of Wolverhampton,
Levenson and Associates, GCPA,

and Pines of Sarasota and Educational Institute 
 
 
Some of you may remember this image that was included in the January 2015 Edition of the Journal detailing Where Did You Go?,an artistic film profiling Lewy Body Dementia. It's true, things went somewhat silent for some time, which may have given the impression that the project was effectively not happening - but this couldn't have been further from the truth!
 
Behind the scenes, Teepa Snow and the Positive Approach® team have been very involved with the film's evolution in a consultative and on-the-ground capacity since the director of the film, Jay Joseph Jones, reached out to Teepa back in October 2014. At the time, no one fully knew what we were all getting into, or how the final product would come to have such quality - in all respects.
 
At the beginning of 2015 the team launched a Kickstarter fundraising platform to raise funds for the project; some of you may have pledged to this or remember watching Teepa's videos requesting your support for the initiative. It's true that as a team we didn't succeed with this, by not reaching our target, but what we did gain is massive support from so many people internationally.
 
So, with this, there may be several questions arising - What happened? Did you finish it? What was the process?  

1. Read more to get a closer look into the film's development and the success of its debut on the international film circuit.

2. Watch the official trailer Share it with a friend.

  
3. Call To Action:
 
Now that Where Did You Go? has officially begun its film festival campaign, Shared Syndicate needs to raise additional funds to cover the considerable costs involved in getting it out there! (Marketing, submissions, administration, materials, and travel).
 
We need your support! Many of you were so generous with your pledge to donate last year - but we were not able to collect these donations because the number of pledges did not meet the goal that was set.  As a result, we could not collect, as determined by the fundraising platform's guidelines.   
 
Please help Where Did You Go? to fulfill its goals and potential, to reach as large an audience as possible!
 

Special thanks to the Dementia Spotlight Foundation for their assistance in establishing a donation portal for the project.  The Dementia Spotlight Foundation is proud to be able to award grants and scholarships to artistic and educational efforts that can help change perspective. Sponsorship of Shared Syndicate's festival film campaign for Where Did You Go? enables this film to travel the globe and share the fictional story of Jean Rose. Her experiences profile the unique and different challenges of Lewy Body and this artistic effort gives a wonderful platform for insights and dialogue about the importance of diagnosis and understanding symptoms and forms of dementia in addition to Alzheimer's.

 
 
NEW PROGRAM FOR
ACUTE CARE PRECEPTORS
by Clarke Pollard, Alz Support Network

On September 15th and 16th Teepa and her team conducted 2 full days of training at Naples Community Hospital, in Naples, Florida. Naples Community Healthcare System (NCH) has two hospitals totaling 640 beds and an extended health care network encompassing over 4,000 employees. As part of the NCH Brookdale Rehab Geriatrics program, NCH has become an NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) accredited site. This NICHE designation places NCH among only 680 hospital systems in the country that have earned this distinguished accreditation. Striving to go further and add additional levels of expertise, NCH partnered with Teepa Snow and the Positive Approach to Care (PAC) organization to offer the first ever PAC Acute Care Preceptor Certification to their employees. Read more to see some comments and descriptions from the 2 day training session.

If your organization is interested in obtaining more information on this program, please contact us. 

SAVE THE DATES!

PAC Approved Certification Dates for 2017
 

Here is your "sneak peek" at the certification dates for next year.  Registration for these events is coming soon!



TRAINERS
                                                               
Jan 30-31, 2017
Richmond, VA
March 9-10, 2017
Stratford, ON
March 29-30, 2017
Atlanta, GA
May 8-9, 2017
Adrian, MI
June 15-16, 2017
Central or Northern, CA (TBD)
July 6-7, 2017
Antigonish, NS
July 11-12, 2017
North Central Plains Area, US (TBD)
July 24-25, 2017
Honolulu, HI
September 14-15, 2017 
Hickory, NC 
 
COACHES
   
March 27-28, 2017   Dallas, TX 
May 11-12, 2017  Burlington, MA  
June 19-20, 2017  Vancouver Island, BC 
 
CONSULTANTS
   
February14-15, 2017   San Diego, CA 
February 21-22, 2017  Woodstock, ON 
August 14-15, 2017  Orlando, FL 
 
ENGAGEMENT LEADERS
   
June 29-30, 2017  Bourbonnais, IL (Chicago) 
August 10-11, 2017  Davenport, IA 

NOTE:  All Dates and locations are subject to change



POSITIVE APPROACH ® TO CARE (PAC) RESOURCE CENTER TO HOST TEEPA
 
Mountain Home Care expanded their Arden, N.C. home office to serve as the first Positive Approach® Dementia Resource Center. They are proud to host Teepa for two speaking engagements on November 14, 2016 and welcome you to register to attend. Admission is FREE, so don't miss this opportunity!
 
For Professionals: 

Learning the Difference Between 
Confrontational and Supportive Communication 
Monday, November 14, 2016
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
 
REGISTER 


For Families: 

Understanding Yourself as a Caregiver 
Monday, November 14, 2016
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
REGISTER 
  

Organizations interested in becoming a Positive Approach® Dementia Resource Center should contact Lee Mohler.

 
October 2016 
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Close-up top-view photo of calendar with a datum circled by young woman with red nails with a back marker, concept of time management at work

October 24, 2016
Educational Evening
West Des Moines, IA


October 27, 2016
Educational Day
Martha's Vineyard, MA


October 31, 2016
Gerontology Conference,
4th Annual

Des Moines, IA


November 2, 2016
Educational Family Session
Park Ridge, IL


November 3, 2016
Educational Day
Tulsa, OK


November 10, 2016
6th Annual Central Conference on Alzheimer's
Jackson, MS


November 11, 2016
30th Annual Caregivers Conference
Alexandria, VA


November 14, 2016
Educational Session
for Professionals

Arden, NC


November 14, 2016
Educational Session
for Families

Arden, NC


November 16, 2016
Educational Day
Ann Arbor, MI


November 17, 2016
Defining Hope Conference
Topeka, KS


November 20, 2016
2016 Care Day Symposium
East Hills, NY


November 23, 2016
Educational Event
Lincoln, UK


November 26, 2016
Educational Day
Bridgend, South Wales


 
 
Book your event today for staff training, family nights, professional referral source events, or refresher workshops .
Call
877-877-1671
or   
Introducing a new opportunity from Teepa and the
Pines of Sarasota
Education and Training Institute

Lifetime Online Video
Viewing Is Now Available 


Upcoming PAC Certification Events

 
 
 

 

November 17, 2016 
PAC Trainer



 

 Sponsored by:



 

November 21, 2016 
PAC Trainer



 


 

November 30, 2016 
PAC Coach



 


 

December 1, 2016 
PAC Trainer



 

 
 
   
 
PAC Training increases awareness, knowledge, and confidence among care staff and educates resident families.
Call 
877-877-1671 
or 
 
Positive Approach Partners  
with  
Levenson & Associates 



Mr. Levenson is partnering with us to answer your legal questions. 

Submit a Question

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Together, these titles are the perfect combination to license and incorporate into any internal training program for your staff.

( All DVD content is intended for individual use only. If you are interested in multiple party viewings or licensing of this content for use in your training services, please contact our licensing team for further information).

HELP OTHERS LIVE WELL

If you know someone working or living with dementia who might benefit from
the teachings of Teepa Snow, please forward this to them now. 

Be knowledgeable. Be prepared. Be positive.
 
If this journal was helpful to you, we would appreciate your feedback.  Please
share your comments and further interest with us.

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