Seniors join for talk on dementia
MORE than 50 Gympie National Seniors’ members got the low down on Alzheimer’s at their dinner meeting at the Gympie RSL club last week.
Speaker Bronwyn Kernick, who has more than 23 years’ experience in aged care work, enjoys working with Alzheimer’s patients.
Bronwyn said Alzheimer’s comes under the umbrella of dementia and has many forms depending on the part of the brain it has affected.
She said it was more common now and was a progressive degeneration of the brain.
If diagnosed early enough, there are medications which can help, but not cure the problem.
If people want to learn more about Alzheimer’s, the government has books to support people with it, as well as family members of patients.
Bronwyn said it was important to have an advanced medical directive completed in case of the onset of dementia so doctors and family members knew how to treat the person should this occur.
During the meeting, Vic Summers presented a turned stool, which he had made, to Estelle Cummings.
As the meeting theme was country and western, Keith Haack presented Betty Tramacchi with a best dressed certificate.
Les Dwyer read some amazing information on coincidence.
Lucky door winners were Barbara Steinke and Val Harris while raffle winners were Kathleen Murphy and Robyn Learmonth.
Members are looking forward to the zone Christmas party at Wondai on December 3 and their own Christmas party on December 10.
