Hector Elizondo, Patricia Garamendi to Headline Alzheimer’s Foundation National Conference

    Display of Powerful Dementia-Related 'Quilt to Remember' Follows



    NEW YORK, Aug. 15 /EMWNews/ -- Award-winning actor Hector

Elizondo and California's Second Lady Patricia Garamendi will each share

the heartache of watching their mothers struggle with Alzheimer's disease

when they address the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's (AFA) 3rd

National Concepts in Care Conference in San Francisco on September 18.



    The life lessons learned from their experiences -- largely, to not face

Alzheimer's disease alone -- sum up the goal of the conference. In addition

to the personal insight offered by these high-profile caregivers and

several other California families, top experts will provide medical updates

and hands-on strategies to address behavioral, communication and other

daily challenges when caring for individuals with this brain disorder.



    The free educational conference is geared toward family caregivers and

healthcare professionals. It will be held at The Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason

Street, from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and includes breakfast and lunch, an

exhibit hall and free respite care to facilitate attendance by family

caregivers. Continuing education units are pending for nurses, social

workers and activity therapists.



    Piggybacking off of the conference, AFA will display its powerful Quilt

to Remember, the nation's first grand-scale quilt that pays tribute to

those affected by Alzheimer's disease, at nearby Union Square, Geary and

Stockton Streets, on September 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on September

20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.



    Tying the two events together, Elizondo will present a heartfelt quilt

panel crafted in memory of his mother, Carmen Reyes Elizondo, during the

conference. The panel will be showcased at the park along with the more

than 100 panels in the collection.



    Eric J. Hall, AFA's president and chief executive officer, said the two

events complement each other.



    "On one hand, education empowers caregivers and eases some of the

practical burden of the disease. On the other hand, the AFA Quilt to

Remember enables families to creatively express their feelings about their

loved ones and alleviate some of the emotional toll," Hall said. "Together,

they serve to raise awareness of the all-encompassing nature of Alzheimer's

disease."



    The New York-born Elizondo, who has appeared in several

critically-acclaimed TV series, including his current role in MONK and more

than 80 movies, will lead off the conference with the feature presentation,

"My Family's Experience and the Value of Support."



    "Back when my family faced this disease, information and support were

almost non-existent. While my family had nowhere to turn, it's important

for today's caregivers to recognize that medical treatment, educational

information, resources and support organizations are available to help. I

want other families to understand how important it is not to go it alone,"

Elizondo said.



    Garamendi, currently serving as assistant general manager of the

California Exposition and State Fair, and wife of California Lt. Gov. John

Garamendi, will deliver the keynote presentation, "Mama, the Grandest

Lady," during lunch.



    "While we are learning more and more about Alzheimer's disease every

day, like so many other families, I hope for more," she said. "But in the

meantime, I do what I can to foster improved quality of life for my mom and

others with this illness."



    Other speakers include Pierre Tariot, M.D., director of the Memory

Disorders Clinic at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix, who will

report on the latest trends in diagnosis and treatment; and, among those

discussing communication strategies, Kristine Williams, an associate

professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, will present her

ground-breaking research about the negative impact of so-called Elderspeak

on older adults.



    For more information about these events and to register for the

conference, call 866-AFA-8484.



    Currently, an estimated five million Americans have Alzheimer's

disease, and the incidence is expected to triple by mid-century. In

California, it is estimated that nearly half a million people aged 65 and

older will have the brain disorder by 2010. Age is the greatest risk factor

for the disease, which causes loss of memory and other intellectual

functions. Alzheimer's disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in

the United States.



    The Alzheimer's Foundation of America is a national nonprofit

organization headquartered in New York and unites more than 950 member

organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational,

emotional, practical and social needs of families. Its services include a

toll-free hot line, a free magazine for caregivers, educational conferences

and training for healthcare professionals. For more information, visit

http://www.alzfdn.org or call 866-AFA-8484.