Title
Open House

Date
Thursday, April 8, 2010

Time
10 am

Location
Prairieview’s Oak Court Neighborhood

Description

The father of the Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer’s Care—David Troxel, MPH—will join us as we launch our new memory care service.

Also speaking that day will be ...

• Marge Coalman, EdD, vice president, Touchmark Wellness & Programs. She will speak about Touchmark’s person-centered care as well as the hope springing from current research.
• Laura Castleberry, whose mother has an age-related dementia illness and will be moving into Prairieview. Castleberry will share insights from a family’s perspective.

Following the remarks, you’ll have an opportunity to enjoy refreshments, talk with the presenters, and tour the new Prairieview Memory Care Residences.

Because seating is limited, please RSVP by calling 405-340-1975.

Touchmark bases its person-centered care program on Troxel’s Best Friends approach, which he codeveloped with Virginia Bell in the 1990s. The two created their model after working directly with people who have dementia, family members, and staff in adult day centers.

Essentially, the Best Friends approach focuses on the fact that what people with dementia need most is a “best friend.”This person can be a family member, staff person, or friend. It is always someone who empathizes with the individual, maintains a loving, positive attitude, and is dedicated to helping the person with dementia feel “safe, secure, and valued.” Troxel teaches caregivers how to have the “knack,” which is “the art of doing difficult things with ease.”

An internationally known author and speaker, Troxel has co-authored four books that have influenced how care is provided to people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or age-related dementia illnesses. He also has been a speaker at more than 300 conferences, including numerous keynote presentations.

David served as executive director of the Santa Barbara Alzheimer’s Association from 1994 to 2004. He is a past executive board member of the American Public Health Association and past member of the Ethics Advisory Panel for the US National Alzheimer’s Association.

His areas of expertise include best care practices for persons with dementia, caregiver support, staff training, and long-term care program development. Troxel has been a family caregiver, supporting his mother, who passed away with Alzheimer’s disease last April.

Coalman also is sought internationally as a conference speaker. She is a contributing journalist to the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) as well as a course developer and master trainer for the Oregon Health Care Association. In 2009, she was appointed to the ICAA Advisory Board. She and the other industry leaders will help steer the association for the next two years in its operations and in its role as a leader in active aging. ICAA Advisory Board members also will participate in ICAA 2020, an initiative set up to create a vision for the future of the active-aging industry.

In her role at Touchmark, Coalman is responsible for developing and implementing programs that enrich people’s lives through individualized physical, intellectual, and spiritual activities. Additionally, she provides support and oversight for Touchmark’s assisted living and memory care programs and health and fitness clubs.

Coalman received her doctorate in Education from Oregon Health Sciences University. She also holds a master’s degree in Education from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Washington.

In March, she attended the Alzheimer’s Action Summit in Washington, DC, the fifth time she has participated in this important public policy forum.