CenterLight’s Margaret Tietz tackles dementia crisis

There wasn’t an empty seat in Margaret Tietz’s main dining room as providers and caregivers of individuals with dementia gathered for an eye-opening symposium by experts in the field.

“Dementia: Research, Treatment and Caregiver Support” — presented by Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a member of CenterLight Health System in Jamaica Hills, in conjunction with Samuel Field YM/YWHA and Queensboro Council for Social Welfare — provided attendees the latest facts, programs and resources.

Margaret Tietz Executive Director Yoel Lichstein opened the program and introduced the first speaker, Jed A. Levine, MA, executive vice president and director of programs and services of the Alzheimer’s Association. The audience attentively took notes as Levine outlined the numbers, current research, and the assistance and support programs. With one American developing Alzheimers’s every 67 seconds, this is one of the largest health crises facing our nation, he said.

Jane C. Bardavid, LCSW, director of the community advisory program for elderly (CAPE) at Samuel Field YM/YWHA, focused on caregiver stress and the coping skills needed to shoulder this lonely and overwhelming burden. She poignantly described the grieving process one undergoes in mourning a relationship that once was. She delineated ways to develop resilience and manage stress while combating the risk anxiety, depression and social isolation that caregivers face. In addition, Bardavid noted how important it is to implement routines that are extremely soothing to those with dementia.

Executive Director of the Queensboro Council on Social Welfare Joan Serrano Laufer, LMSW, concluded with underlining the importance of caretakers taking care of themselves, and that even though it’s hard, one should never refrain from asking for help.

She encouraged everyone to “keep fighting, keep advocating. Coming together as we did today is part of the solution.”

With an increasing number of baby boomers entering the age of greatest risk for dementia, the challenges faced by nursing facilities and families keep growing. To enhance the many programs already in place at its facility, Margaret Tietz will be partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association on future projects and setting up a caregiver support group. This event spearheads Margaret Tietz's new Health Education Initiative, featuring quarterly educational seminars to inform the community about best health practices.

For more about the initiative, or to view the complete symposium online, visit www.TietzJewish.org.