World Renowned Dementia/Alzheimer’s Expert Teams With Meridian Senior Living Communities to Present Incredible Workshops in February and March

February 6, 2018

DUBLIN, OHIO and FISHERS, IN–Meridian Senior Living, LLC, and their communities—Walnut Crossing, Demaree Crossing and Sugar Fork Crossing— will be hosting free educational workshops in February and March with world-renowned Naomi Feil, founder of the Validation Training Institute.

Feil will share with attendees how Validation helps to successfully communicate with and reach cognitively impaired individuals. Hundreds of participants including family members, practitioners, caregivers, and those who want to learn more about dementia and Alzheimer’s are expected to attend these workshops.

The first workshop, sponsored by Meridian’s Maryville, OH-based community Walnut Crossing, will take place on Wednesday, February 21, from 12-4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbus Dublin on 5100 Upper Metro Place in Dublin, OH. Participants should secure reservations by February 16 to 937.490.1506.

The second workshop, sponsored by Meridian’s Greenwood, IN-based community Demaree Crossing and Anderson, IN-based community Sugar Fork Crossing will take place on Wednesday, March 21, from 1-5 p.m. at the Wellington Fishers Banquet and Conference Center at 9775 North by Northeast Boulevard, Fishers, IN. To make reservations, participants can call either Crystal at 317.316.8380 or Merry at 765.233.9360 by March 16.

The Disease
So why is learning about Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia so important? The global impact of dementia is absolutely incredible. Just look at these staggering statistics:

➢    In 2015, there were 9.9 million new cases worldwide of dementia, one every 3 seconds.
➢    There are 46.8 million people across the world living with dementia in 2015. This number is expected to double – every 20 years – to 74.7 million in 2030 and a whopping 131.5 million in 2050.
➢    Much of this increase will take place in low and middle income (LMIC) countries – 58% of all people with dementia live in LMICs – rising to 63% in 2030 and 68% in 2050.
➢    The total estimated worldwide cost of dementia in 2015 is $818 billion US dollars. By 2018, dementia will become a trillion dollar disease, rising to $2 trillion US dollars by 2030.
➢    If global dementia care were a country, it would be the 18th largest economy ($818 billion) in the world, exceeding market values of companies such as Apple ($742 billion) and Google ($368 billion).
➢    The estimated number of people with dementia in each world region in 2015: the Americas – 9.4 million, Europe 10.5 million, Africa 4.0 million, and Asia 22.9 million.
➢    And in our own country, one in nine people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease. By mid-century, someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds.

With that in mind, all of us will be affected by Alzheimer’s in one way or another, and understanding and learning about the disease becomes increasingly important to be able to capably deal with afflicted family members and loved ones.

We anticipate an increase in proposed legislation pertaining to individuals with dementia so it’s imperative that our politicians and state representatives understand how this disease affects our world, our country, and our economy.

The Speaker
Naomi Feil, born in Munich in 1932, grew up in the Montefiore Home for the Aged in Cleveland, Ohio where her father was administrator and her mother was head of Social Services. After graduating with a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University, Naomi began her life’s work with the elderly. From 1963 and 1980, Feil developed Validation as a response to her dissatisfaction with traditional methods of working with severely disoriented elderly people.

Validation is a method of communicating with and helping disoriented seniors. It is a practical way of communicating that helps reduce stress, enhance dignity and promote happiness. Validation is built on an empathetic approach and holistic view of individuals where you ‘step into their shoes’ and ‘see through their eyes’ to understand the meaning of their often bizarre behaviors. This method allows seniors the opportunity to express, both verbal and non-verbal, their feelings and needs, often having been suppressed for years.

Feil founded the Validation Training Institute (VTI) in 1983 and, as executive director of VTI, has traveled the world, including Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, France, Belgium, Italy, Great Britain, Austria, and most recently in China on behalf of Meridian Senior Living, to share her experiences and Validation method with people from all walks of life. VTI, a U.S.-based, not-for-profit organization with a professional Board of Directors, has progressively developed certification levels, training programs, and formed a network of national and regional Validation organizations to disseminate information, train interested individuals, and maintain ‘the spirit of Validation.’

“We are proud of our extensive work with Ms. Feil to help educate our staff and associate businesses to better work with and create a much higher quality of life for our memory care residents across the country and in China,” says Kevin Carlin, principal and chief sales officer. “We are committed to enriching the lives of seniors and continue to actively support our memory care communities through education and proven staff training.”