DONATE | OUR SERVICES | MARCH 2024

Please join us for an Open House to celebrate the purchase of our building!

Thursday, February 29 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

The Bridge office - 851 Olive St. Shreveport, LA 71104

Upcoming Events

March 5, 2024

6:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 6, 2024

11:00 a.m. – First Wednesday Workshop: Understanding Level of Care Options by Stacey Hand, MA, CVT

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

March 7, 2024

10:30 a.m. – Alzheimer's Community Forum

• Location: A.B. Palmer Community Center, 547 E 79th St., Shreveport, LA 71106

March 12, 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

March 13, 2024

6:30 a.m. – Senior Resource Breakfast

• Location: Chick-Fil-A, 7010 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 71105

11:00 a.m. – Wednesday with Friends: Music with Scott Lowe

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

March 14, 2024

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

5:30 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 15, 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

March 16, 2024

9:30 a.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

11:00 a.m. – Shreveport/Caddo Parish Spring Health Fair

• Location: Lakeside Community Center, 2200 Milam St., Shreveport, LA 71103

March 19, 2024

11:00 a.m. – Alzheimer's Community Forum

• Location: First United Methodist - Logansport, 401 Gum St., Logansport, LA 71049

2:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 20, 2024

10:30 a.m. – Alzheimer's Community Forum

• Location: Lakeside Community Center, 2200 Milam St., Shreveport, LA 71103

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

March 21, 2024

10:00 a.m. – Art Connection

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

10:00 a.m. – Meet and Greet

• Location: Southern Hills Community Center, 1002 W Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport, LA 71118

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 22, 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

March 26, 2024

1:30 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 27, 2024

1:00 p.m. – Caregiver Support Group

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

March 28, 2024

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, 1915 Grover Place, Shreveport, LA 71105

March 29, 2024

CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY

Our guest speaker for this month's First Wednesday Workshop is Stacey Hand, MA, CVT. Stacey Hand is the Dementia Educator with The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center. She has a master’s degree in Gerontology and continued her studies with the International Validation Training Institute for specialty training in working and caring for elders with dementia. She is a Certified Validation Practitioner and Teacher for the Institute. She has worked in independent senior living and long-term care over the past decade and cared for her mother and mother-in-law, who were both diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Stacey 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.

Sing along to the oldies with Scott Lowe, local musician! He has a great lineup of country, rock n roll, and gospel songs ready to play for you and if you feel so inclined, sing along!

"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.

First United Methodist - Logansport is hosting a Community Forum on Alzheimer’s & Dementia with speakers from The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center on Tuesday, March 19 at 11:00 a.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! 

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.

Care Connection Webinar from Alzheimer's Foundation of America

"Lewy What?" What is Lewy Body Dementia and How Do You, Healthcare Professionals and Caregivers, Deal with It?

March 14 from Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Norma Loeb, founder and executive director of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center (LBDRC), will discuss Lewy body dementia symptoms, diagnosis, and support.

Mary Lou Falcone, classic music publicist, and former care partner, will share her first-hand point of view on what it’s like to be the caregiver for a loved one with LBD.

In-Kind Donation from Window Genie

Thank you to Window Genie of Shreveport - Bossier City for cleaning our building and windows as an in-kind donation to The Bridge. Eric Gnann, owner, provided this service in honor of his cousin, Meredith Wilkin, who was the caregiver of her mother who had Alzheimer's. If you need expert window cleaning or power washing, call Window Genie at 318-626-7667. Tell them The Bridge referred you!

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.

February Overview

February's First Wednesday Workshop

Featuring Dr. Jeff Overdyke, “Addressing Depression in Elders”

February's Art Connection Workshop

At February’s Art Connection, we learned new techniques for watercolor painting and painted a landscape. Join us for our March Art Connection class!

Yokem Connection

Thank you to Yokem Toyota for featuring The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center in the Yokem Connection. We appreciate you helping us spread the word about our valuable resources.

*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