March News

Dementia Enrichment Center

February/March 2025

Caregiver Education

Join us March 8 for the third and final session of our caregiver education series: Caring for a Person with Middle Stage Alzheimer's/Dementia. In the first session we discussed personal care and communication, and in the second we talked about safety. To close the series, we will explore home and community care options. This series is presented by Jody Wills from the Alzheimer's Association. Visit our website to register for this class and others.

Unable to attend? You can still catch the series online.

March Activities

We won't be sittin' around in March! Our Enrichment Club outings will include trips to Stillhouse Park, Topsy Exotic Ranch, Miller Springs Nature Center, and Helping Hands Ministry for a volunteer project. Pam from Aspen Hospice will provide King Cake and join our Mardi Gras celebration early in the month, then return for a bubble party on the 18th. Gifted storyteller and founder of the UMHB Arts Academy, Cherry Garasi, will treat us to an exciting tale for World Storytelling Day. We'll play with puppies, raise butterflies from caterpillars, have our very own Cherry Blossom Festival, and end the month with a concert by Lisa Houston in honor of World Piano Day! See the complete calendar here.

Enrichment Club welcomes new participants! Register today to give someone you love the gift of friends, fun, and purpose.

Go Fish!

We are so thankful to Jack and Liz Williamson, owners of Fish Window Cleaning Killeen, and their amazing crew for making our windows sparkle! They were so generous to gift us a complete window cleaning--screens, storm windows, the works. Now we're ready for the sun!

A Matter of Balance

Falling doesn't have to be part of aging. A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. This nationally recognized, evidence-based fall risk reduction program emphasizes practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels.

The Dementia Enrichment Center has arranged a special session of A Matter of Balance for our Enrichment Club participants. For eight Tuesdays during April and May, attendees will travel to the Central Texas Area Agency on Aging to participate in this valuable program. Our day program has space available, so register for Enrichment Club to join us!

Farewell, Sweet Friend

With heavy hearts, the Dementia Enrichment Center family mourns the loss of our sweet friend Shannon Johnston. Shan's warm smile and tender heart have brightened the Center for the past year. She will always have a special place in the hearts of those who were blessed to know her and is dearly missed.

Worth the Time

Your time is valuable and in short supply. In this new column, Hailey shares suggestions for reading, watching, and listening activities that she feels are "worth the time."

This month I read Fredrik Backman's novella And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. This gem tells a short but powerful story about an aging man and his family as they navigate memory, loss, and letting go. Caregivers can relate to this compassionate and meaningful story, which offers hope and peace.

Special thanks to my friend Tammera Ryan from Right at Home for passing this book along.

Caregiver Tips

We've added a new section to our website that provides links to websites, videos, and handouts to help in the caregiving journey. Browse a variety of topics and get specially selected caregiver tips from reliable sources.

And the Crown Goes To....

We had so much fun attending the Diamond Divas pageant hosted by Mercy House! Our very own Emi took the crown in the Aging in Place category. She looked beautiful in her traditional Japanese yukata and stole the show. What a perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day with the ladies we love!