Virtual Symposium 2020: Let’s Talk About Dementia and Culture How We Talk and Teach About Dementia in Cultural and Linguistic Communities

On November 10, 2020, JF&CS hosted the virtual symposium Let’s Talk About Dementia and Culture: How We Talk and Teach About Dementia in Cultural and Linguistic Communities. Over 625 participants joined in a far-reaching discussion of disparities in the risk of developing dementia and in access to diagnosis, research, and care, as well as how we can learn from the values and wisdom of many cultural traditions.

The symposium was developed in partnership with Dementia Friends Massachusetts and the Alzheimer’s Association and generously supported by Tufts Health Plan Foundation and the Lebowitz Family Charitable Trust.

Watch the Symposium

Part 1: Opening remarks by Nora Moreno Cargie, Brian Van Buren, and Beth Soltzberg. Conversation with Dementia Friends educators Arnetta and Carl Baty, Frances Samidy Ortiz, Jacyra Carvalho, Alana Dundon, Kun Chang, and Irene Belozersky.

Recordings of Part 1 are also available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin.

Part 2: Panel discussion with Jonathan Jackson, Stephanie Monroe, Jason Resendez, and Brian Van Buren.

Recordings of Part 2 are also available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin.

A transcript of the symposium in English is available from our CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) provider.

More videos:

• Introduction to Global Dementia Friends (1 minute)
• Slideshow of Photos from Dementia Friends Massachusetts (3 minutes)

Symposium Slides and Resources

• Download Beth Soltzberg's presentation slides from the Dementia Symposium.
• Download our Dementia Resource List, updated to include resources shared by symposium participants.

Symposium Speakers

• Dementia Friends Massachusetts Educators:
  
  • Arnetta E. Baty, Board Chair, and Carl Byron Baty, Executive Director, Rounding the Bases, Inc.
  • Irene Belozersky, LICSW, 2Life Communities
  • Kun Chang, MSW, LCSW, Associate Director, Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center
  • Alana Dundon, Psychologist and Brazilian Educator
  • Frances Ortiz and Jacyra Carvalho, Resident Services Coordinators, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción
• Jonathan Jackson, PhD., Founder and Executive Director, Community Access, Recruitment and Engagement (CARE) Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital
• Stephanie Monroe, JD, Executive Director, AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s
• Jason Resendez, Executive Director, LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s and Director, Center for Brain Health Equity
• Brian Van Buren, Alzheimer’s Advocate and Board Member, Western Carolina Alzheimer’s Association, and Advisory Council Member of Dementia Action Alliance

Continuing Education

The program was approved for 3.0 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D 81727.

Continuing Education certificates were provided to those who attended the whole symposium on November 10, 2020 and completed the follow-up evaluation. Based on requirements from licensing organizations, we cannot provide CE certificates to those who watch the recordings but did not attend “live” on November 10.

For more information about the symposium, please contact Beth Soltzberg at bsoltzberg@jfcsboston.org.