On September 27 at the Carousel House, Friendship Center (FC) celebrated 50 years of providing day care programming for adults living with dementia. Members, family and friends of current and past members, staff, volunteers, and supporters gathered to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate this treasured nonprofit. With members of the FC community thinking of themselves as a big family, the free event indeed had the feeling of a family reunion.
The 200 guests enjoyed a picnic lunch, music by the band Peer Pressure and DJ Darla Bea, a high-energy cheerleader performance by San Marcos Cheer, trishaw rides from Cycling Without Age, memory jar making, displays of hundreds of photos, and most importantly, quality time to reconnect with others in the Friendship Center family.
It was part of an anniversary weekend that included a full day Dementia Care Conference with national and local experts at the Leta Hotel. Intended to be an annual event, the conference attracted more than 100 guests. A post-conference survey showed a big improvement among attendees in their confidence in supporting someone with dementia. When asked what was the most valuable part, several responded, “knowing that I am not alone.” That, according to Executive Director Kathryn Westland, is “about as successful as we could ask for.”…