West Liberty University’s Highlands Center will host a new support group for those living with dementia and their caregivers at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 21, that is open to the public.
“The WLU Speech and Hearing Clinic has partnered with 2022 Mrs. WV American Jami Myers, who has a master’s in occupational therapy and specializes in geriatrics. Jami’s existing support group, called ‘Opportunities to Shine,’ addresses brain change as a result of neurogenic disorders, and the WLU Branch will meet for the first time next Wednesday,” said Sara Alig, WLU speech-language pathologist and certified dementia practitioner.
Professor Alig is pleased to offer this new group a place to meet to discuss the effects of brain change secondary to disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“I support this initiative because one of our goals in the Speech and Hearing Clinic is to improve communication challenges for individuals of all ages. We want to assist caregivers who need resources that will help them work through these challenges that accompany brain change.”
The purpose of this group is to provide social support, educational resources, and preventative strategies to those living with brain change, caring for someone with brain change, or just wanting to learn about cognitive protection.
Myers stated,“Dementia can leave you feeling devastated and unable to see past the diagnosis. Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care offers practical, supported education so you can move to acceptance, open your mind to opportunity and grow to live with positivity,” she added.
Originally from West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, Snow now lives outside Chapel Hill, N.C. and is a graduate of Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Snow’s “life mission” is to shed a positive light on dementia. (See teepasnow.com)
Opportunities to Shine is a collaboration with Snow and her Positive Approach to Care (PAC) and Myers is a certified PAC trainer and coach.
WLU’s Highlands Center offers walk-in services to the community, with a variety of screenings available. Students enrolled in Health Science programs in WLU’s College of Sciences, under the supervision of professional instructors, conduct the screenings.
WLU’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, located in Campbell Hall of Health Sciences, on WLU’s Main Campus, offers walk-in services to the community, with a variety of screenings, evaluations, and treatments available. Students enrolled in WLU’s Health Science programs, under the supervision of professional instructors, conduct the services provided.
The Speech and Hearing Clinic offers speech and hearing services for ages 2 and up.
Contact the WLU Speech and Hearing Clinic for more information on both services and the new Opportunities to Shine support group at 304-336-8199 or csd@westliberty.edu.
