DONATE | OUR SERVICES | APRIL 2024

Upcoming Events

April 2, 2024

6:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: The Blake of Bossier City, 200 The Blake Blvd., Bossier City, LA 71111

April 3, 2024

11:00 a.m. – First Wednesday Workshop: Empowering Yourself As A Caregiver by Laura Gauthier

• Location: The Bridge Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104

April 4, 2024

3:00 p.m. – Alzheimer's Community Forum

• Location: Tower at the Oaks of Louisiana, 600 E Flournoy Lucas Rd., Shreveport, LA 71115

April 9, 2024

Noon – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Sabine Council on Aging, 206 Franklin St., Converse, LA 71419

2:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Trinity Heights Baptist Church, 3820 Old Mooringsport Rd., Shreveport, LA 71107

4:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Benton Council Aging, 202 Sibley St. Benton, LA 71006

April 10, 2024

11:00 a.m. – Wednesday with Friends: Gardening with Master Gardener Dianne Mapp

• Location: The Bridge Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: First Presbyterian Church - Shreveport, 900 Jordan St., Shreveport, LA 71101

5:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Broadmoor Baptist Church, 4110 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 71105

April 11, 2024

Noon – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: First Methodist - Shreveport, 500 Common St., Shreveport, LA 71101

2:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: The Bridge Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104

April 16, 2024

10:00 a.m. – Memory Screenings

• Location: Bienville Parish Library, 2768 Maple St, Arcadia, LA 71001

2:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Natchitoches Council on Aging, 1016 Keyser Ave., Natchitoches, LA 71457

April 17, 2024

1:00 p.m. – Zoom Online Support Group

• Call The Bridge for login information at 318-656-4800

2:30 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Brookdale Senior Living, 2540 Beene Blvd., Bossier City, LA 71111

April 18, 2024

10:00 a.m. – Art Connection

• Location: Noel Memorial UMC, 520 Herndon St., Shreveport, LA 71101

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Savannah Grand of Bossier City, 4770 Brandon Blvd., Bossier City, LA 71111

April 19, 2024

9:30 a.m. – Alzheimer's Community Forum

• Location: Bienville Parish Library - Castor Branch, 1955 LA-507, Castor, LA 71016

April 20, 2024

9:30 a.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Fitness Lady, 1700 Old Minden Rd. #180, Bossier City, LA 71111

April 23, 2024

1:30 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Ellerbe Road Methodist Church, 10130 Ellerbe Rd., Shreveport, LA 71106

April 24, 2024

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: First Presbyterian Church - Shreveport, 900 Jordan St., Shreveport, LA 71101

April 25, 2024

10:00 a.m. – NEW! Caregiver Support Group

• Location: The Oaks of Louisiana, 600 E Flournoy Lucas Rd., Shreveport, LA 71115

2:00 p.m. – Drum and Hand Percussion Group

• Location: The Bridge Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104

5:30 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

• Location: Broadmoor Presbyterian Church - Adult Building, 1915 Grover Place, Shreveport, LA 71105

April 26, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. – Latino Memory Screenings

• Location: The Bridge Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104

Our speaker for this month’s First Wednesday Workshop is Laura Gauthier, Licensed Professional Counsel (LPC), and Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). Laura is the Program Director at The Bridge. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health from Louisiana Tech University.

Laura presented this topic at a breakout session at our 3rd Annual Conference in November 2023. If you missed her presentation at the conference, you won’t want to miss it at our First Wednesday Workshop! However, if you can’t make it in person, you can always watch it on our YouTube channel once it’s posted.

The Oaks of Louisiana is hosting a Community Forum on Alzheimer’s & Dementia with speakers from The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center on Thursday, April 4 at 3:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend this event! Our speakers will cover topics such as Introduction to The Bridge and Its Services, Dementia 101, and Reducing Your Risk for Alzheimer’s. We hope to see you there! 

Let your garden bloom this spring and learn from Master Gardener Dianne Mapp at this month's Wednesday with Friends Workshop. We will be planting an arrangement of pretty spring flowers in a pot for you to take home and enjoy!

"Wednesday with Friends" will take place from 11:00 a.m. to noon at The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center located at 851 Olive St, Shreveport. This activity is open to caregivers and their family member living with dementia.

The Bridge is returning to Arcadia for free memory screenings! Join us Tuesday, April 16 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the Arcadia Main Library. Register today to reserve your screening time at 318-263-7410.

ART can connect us socially, boost cognitive function, stimulate language, reawaken memories, & provide a sense of accomplishment. Join us every third Thursday at 10:00 am at Noel United Methodist Church. Thank you to the Noel Community Arts Program for sponsoring this activity!

This activity is open to caregivers and their family member living with dementia.

Join us for an informative and exciting session where we will explore various drums, hand percussion instruments, and participate in a drum circle. This event is open to caregivers and their family members or friends with dementia. Drum and Hand Percussion is every fourth Thursday at 2:00 pm at The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center, located at 851 Olive St, Shreveport. Thank you to the Noel Community Arts Program for sponsoring this activity!

This activity is open to caregivers and their family member living with dementia.

Join us on Give for Good Day on May 7 at The Seventh Tap Brewing Project for Battle of the Brains Trivia Contest! Hosted by Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) & Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network (PSYCHSIGN) at LSU Health, Shreveport, School of Medicine.

Proceeds of this event will benefit The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center.

March Wrap-Up

Executive Director, Paulette Freeman at Inspiring Women Luncheon

March 5, 2024 - Our Executive Director, Paulette Freeman, was asked to participate as a panelist at the Inspiring Women Luncheon held by Commission for Women at Bossier City, Inc. Former Board member and officer, Tamara Crane, ED, of Bossier Council on Aging was also on the panel.

Program Director, Laura Gauthier Guest Speaker at The Glen

March 26, 2024 – Our Program Director, Laura Gautier, was the speaker at the CEU event for community social workers, sponsored by The Glen. Her topic was “How to Help Families Make the Best Decisions With Their Loved One with Dementia.”

The Bridge Open House

What a joyous time we had at our Open House to celebrate the purchase of the building we’ve been operating out of for the past 3 years! 851 Olive Street, Shreveport, LA, is our permanent home and we are very proud. Thank you to all who came out.

The Bridge Staff Members Present at the Spring CEU Event

The Spring CEU event by CHEN Community Healthcare Education Network was a success! Congratulations on a job well done to the board and event committee members. Thank you for having The Bridge’s own Stacey Hand and Mary Strong as presenters!

In addition to her master’s degree, she holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from LSUS. Alecia is now a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor and has been operating as the program coordinator for The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center since January 2024. Prior to joining The Bridge, she applied her skills as the human resources expert at Target. Alecia is a licensed realtor for the state of Louisiana. Alecia is dedicated to enhancing her skills in mental health counseling and is passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of those who are facing Alzheimer’s and dementia challenges. Please join us in congratulating Alecia Henderson on her promotion!

Beyond her professional pursuits, Christi has a passion for animal rescue. She volunteers with two local dog rescue organizations, extending her compassionate nature to our four-legged friends in need. Christi and her husband Tony enjoy spending time in the company of their six rescue dogs!

Bridget became interested in the field of elderly services during her years as an undergraduate in college. Bridget’s personal experiences also added to her decision to dedicate herself to bettering the lives of elderly people and persons with disabilities. As a young adult, Bridget experienced frustration in trying to assist her grandmother, who suffered from dementia. She discovered there was often a general lack of understanding of elderly people by service providers. Additionally, she found services to be unavailable or inadequate. In recent years, she helped care for her mother-in-law, who was also diagnosed with dementia. Although there has been some improvement in the professional community’s understanding of dementia, Bridget still finds that there is a lack of ability in some healthcare professionals to effectively interact with their patients who suffer from dementia.

Bridget holds a master’s degree in Gerontology from the University of South Florida. She has a special interest in Alzheimer’s Disease and the struggle faced by families who cope with this illness. She is a member of the Board of Directors of The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center. She is employed by Gilsoul & Aronson, an elder law firm that assists people with estate planning, long-term care and Medicaid Planning, Veterans benefits, Social Security Disability benefits, and other related matters. Bridget enjoys her role as Client Care Coordinator, where she helps individuals and families as they strive to find ways to provide the best possible care for themselves or their elderly or disabled loved ones.

Congratulations to Bridget Lyman on her appointment as President of our Board!

Free Workshops Feature Breakout Session Speakers from Annual Education Conference

Are you interested in learning about depression in elders, the different levels of care available for elders, and caregiver empowerment?

Did you attend The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center Education Conference but missed out on some of the breakout session speakers?

Here’s a chance to learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia at our upcoming First Wednesday Workshops!

The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center will feature three of the breakout session speakers from the 2023 Education Conference in their upcoming First Wednesday Workshops for February, March, and April.

Dr. Jeff Overdyke, retired Geriatric Psychiatrist will present “Addressing Depression in Elders” on February 7. Stacey Hand, MA, and Certified Validation Trainer (CVT) will present “Choosing the Right Care Environment: Navigating the Different Levels of Care” on March 6. Laura Gauthier, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) will present “Empowering Yourself as a Caregiver” on April 10.

Each workshop is an hour long from 11 am until 12 noon and will be held at The Bridge office located at 851 Olive St., Shreveport. The workshops are free of charge and will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel after each session. For more information, call The Bridge office at 318-656-4800.

March Overview

First Wednesday Workshop

Featuring Stacey Hand, MA, CVT, “Choosing the Right Care Environment: Navigating the Different Levels of Care”

KSLA Senior Focus

Laura Gauthier was on KSLA Senior Focus with Priscilla Borrego on March 28 to discuss common myths of dementia.

*Please call to confirm the date and time of group meetings before attending for the first time. Facilitators vary.

To be able to say how you feel and have others understand.

To be angry and others will not say you should not feel like that.

To find help on how to handle difficult behavior problems.

To learn that you cannot and should not be the only one responsible for caring for a loved one who has the disease.

To learn where to go for help in caring for a loved one.

To realize it is possible to laugh at some of the impossible, crazy things that happen during a day with a person living with dementia.

To learn to stop trying to teach, or reason, with your loved one and instead accept that the way she/he sees things is very real for her/him.

To discover that it is important to have some time for yourself and not feel guilty about it.

To become aware of how much it helps to know you are not making this dementia journey alone.

To discover that coping is easier with the support and caring understanding of the others present.

Programs of The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center are supported by

Community Foundation of North Louisiana ~ First Presbyterian Church Shreveport

The Alta and John Franks Foundation ~ Powers Foundation

The Thomas H. and Mayme P. Scott Foundation

The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center

851 Olive Street

Shreveport, LA 71104

(318) 656-4800

www.alzbridge.org