It was only four years ago that we last offered an in-person version of Caregiver Connections, a four-week intensive course for new caregivers. It feels like a lifetime ago.

We were still known as The Memory Center, Dr. Iyer had not yet joined the practice, and nobody had ever heard of Covid-19.

We’ve learned a lot since that final session, and we’ve been revisiting all our educational initiatives with an eye toward broad accessibility and impact.

Thanks to a generous grant from The Cannon Foundation, we are reimagining Caregiver Connections as a professionally produced on-demand course, condensed and designed to be viewed in video format.

The new course will have two one-hour long tracks, one for memory patients and one for movement patients. It will cover the nuts and bolts of each, from the initial diagnosis and basic science to managing stress and the role of the caregiver.

New families will be able to view the videos at their convenience, all in one sitting or in shorter segments. They do not have to wait for a new course to start, or travel to a weekly class.

WHAT ABOUT CONNECTIONS?

One benefit of the in-person format was that caregivers met one another. When the videos are complete we’ll host quarterly gatherings for new families, where caregivers can ask questions about what they’ve learned, find out about other educational programs and opportunities to engage and connect. Because nobody should take this journey alone.