Over a year ago, Divine Home Care Services’ marketing team started defining the characteristics and scope of the Bosque County Alzheimer’s Expo. The goal was to organize a one-day event that would showcase all resources available for those affected by this growing disease. We partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association of Waco, Goodall Witcher Hospital and the Lutheran Sunset Ministries and successfully delivered the first Bosque County Alzheimer’s Expo at the Clifton Civic Center in March of 2023.
The experience prompted us to replicate the program in Waco and surrounding communities and the McLennan County Alzheimer’s Expo was born. This time, we partnered with the Heart of Texas Area Agency on Aging, Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center, Rainey & Rainey Attorneys at Law and the Alzheimer’s Association of Waco. We were also very fortunate to count with the Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Robinson as our hosting partner, as well as with the generous support of Extraco Banks.
The event was held on September 12th, 2023 from 10am to 2pm and included five breakout sessions, three one-on-one consultation stations, two dementia simulation sessions, one Matter of Balance demonstration, and a panel discussion featuring a physician, a diagnosed patient, a nurse, a caregiver, and a social worker, all professionally and personally touched by the disease. All this in addition to the actual Expo where over 30 vendors and organizations showcased a wide variety of resources for patients, caregivers, loved ones and more.
The McLennan County Alzheimer’s Expo was a success. Feedback from attendees, whether guests, participants or volunteers, was both positive and enthusiastic. Many have already started committing their participation and assistance for next year’s edition, initially scheduled for October 1, 2024. Before that, however, we have already started the organization of the Bell County Alzheimer’s Expo to be held next Spring. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, we would like to recognize the following organizations and individuals, without which this project would not have been the same:
Amedisys Home Health & Hospice
American Home Patient
Arbor House
Jaylie Bachenhauser, Matter of Balance
Eduardo Berdegué, Divine Home Care Services
BSW Hospice
Kandace Bullagian NP, BSW Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center
CHOT Hospice
Pastor David Cozart, Meadowbrook Baptist Church
Anne Creighton, Divine Home Care Services
Edward Jones Financial
Encompass Health
Addison Eubank Scott, Rainey & Rainey
Faith Community Health
Gentiva Hospice
Greater Waco Insurance Solutions
Sara Meg Griego, Rainey & Rainey
Heartis Waco Assisted Living
Windy House, Memory Support Group, Ascension
Interim HealthCare
Tiffany Koslowski, Alzheimer’s Association of Waco
Kurt Krakowian
Living Springs Village
Erica Mendoza, TX Family & Protective Services
Memory Support Group, Ascension
Heart of Texas Behavioral Network
Oceans Behavioral Hospital
Dr Ben Perry MD, BSW Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center
Providence Village
Public Health District, STEAR
Erica Reyes-Rosas LMSW, BSW Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center
Right at Home
Saint Anthony’s Care Center
Jan Sanders, HoT Area Agency on Aging
Lia Schiltz LVN, BSW Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center
Rachel Scullin NP, BSW Hillcrest Internal Medicine and Senior Health Center
Tiffany Soto, HoT Area Agency on Aging
Stoney Brook of Hewitt
The Zimmerman Law Firm
TX Family Protective Services
TA&M AgriLife
VA- Waco Regional Office
