Hope is on the Horizon: Challenges, Strategies, and Wisdom for Caregivers (In-Person or Online)

Hope in the Hard Conversations about Alzheimer's and Dementia
A Series brought to you by The Jung Center's Community for Conscious Aging

Jung wrote that “as far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.”  But what can we do, what consciousness can we bring to light, when the brain and nervous system are directly affected by the symptoms of cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia?  Join us throughout October as we discover that, even in the darkest of situations, there is still hope for self-discovery, meaning-making, and finding sources of joy – for everyone involved.

Hope is on the Horizon: Challenges, Strategies, and Wisdom for Caregivers

Join Eddie Orum – a Community Educator for the Alzheimer's Association's Houston, Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter – and the Community for Conscious Aging as we wrap up our fall series on Alzheimer's and dementia. In this panel discussion, we will not only explore the impacts of caregiving on the affected individual, but also on the caregivers themselves. How does early detection of dementia influence caregiving? What can a caregiver realistically expect when tending to an individual affected by dementia, and where can they turn to for support? Through personal stories and professional wisdom, we'll explore how to navigate and cope with the conflicts, anxieties, and agitations that can arise for caregivers, and how we can find joy in life, even in tough situations.

This livestreaming program can be taken from home or anywhere with an internet connection. If you register, you will be emailed viewing instructions either the evening before or the morning of the event. Please be sure to check “spam” and “junk” folders!

This class will be recorded. Recordings will be made available on the CCA website within two weeks after the program.

All times are CT. Please contact onlinelearning@junghouston.org with any questions.

Sabrina Strawn is the Senior Program Manager for the Alzheimer's Association's Houston, Southeast Chapter. Sabrina has been a family caregiver for a loved one with dementia, and has experienced the effects of dementia in several generations of her family, giving her personal as well as professional reasons to work tirelessly toward the end of Alzheimer's. In her former position with the Alzheimer’s Association as Community Engagement Manager, she worked to build partnerships with other organizations as well as manage volunteers. When not working, Sabrina and her husband pursue fitness, gardening and indulging their dog, cats, and adult children.

Eddie Orum has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Downtown, in the department of Urban Education. A retired High School principal, he has worked to support homeless youth across the state of Texas, served as a school diversity trainer for the Austin Independent School District and a school board trainer for the Texas Association of School Boards, and is currently a community activist for the Houston 5th Ward and Denver Harbor communities.  Eddie is a social justice activist and a proponent of the concept of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  He volunteers with several non-profit organization to support parents, schools, and communities in the Houston area.  Eddie is a caregiver for both his aunt and his mother, and is currently a member of the Texas AARP Executive Council and a Community Education and Board Member with the Houston and Southeast Texas Alzheimer’s Association.

Carol Cooper is the Day Program Director at Amazing Place, Houston’s only day program for individuals with mild to moderate memory loss. Carol has cared for people for over 20 years in the church and community. It is her faith and training as a minister that allows her to “hear with her heart” and expertly listen, while providing knowledge, to those who come into contact with her. Over the years, she has stayed connected with Amazing Place’s program participants and their families, providing community resources by keeping communication open to those she meets. Her soft-spoken insights have helped form many of the organization’s programs, operations, and policies.

Julie E. Kutac, MA, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Instruction, a UT Distinguished Teaching Professor,  and Director of PA Assessment in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies in the John Sealy School of Medicine. Prior to joining the UTMB faculty, Dr. Kutac worked as Professional Education and Research Specialist at the Alzheimer’s Association Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter. There, she prepared and delivered engaging, evidence-informed education programs to health care providers across the state of Texas. During her time at the Alzheimer’s Association, she educated well over one thousand professional and lay caregivers in sound, humanistic dementia care practices. As a faculty member, Dr. Kutac teaches and guides PA students as they cultivate their professional identities and work to become compassionate, courageous caregivers. Using creative, active teaching methods and an accessible communication style, she brings the scholarship of the medical humanities to her students in order to create spaces for moral reflection and intellectual inquiry.

Jorge Olvera, MSW, is the Director of Diversity Outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association, Houston, and Southeast Texas. Jorge works with vulnerable populations, specializing in community health and senior services. He has experience developing programs to address Social Determinants of Health in underserved communities, specifically food insecurity and access. Jorge has served in various non-profit boards and committees in the Houston area. Most recently, he led the DEI efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association to increase the reach of services to the LGBT, African American, and Hispanic populations. He holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Houston.