Managing a loved one’s Alzheimer’s? Experts at South Florida event will give tips
Brain health is a key part of healthy aging that can also reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s, a memory-robbing disease affecting more than 7 million people in the country.
Healthy aging, and finding ways to reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s and other dementia, is becoming particularly important in Miami-Dade County and the rest of Florida, home to one of the largest senior populations in the U.S.
Next month, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will host a free conference in South Florida to give tips on how to improve brain health to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other dementia in the future. Experts will also discuss clinical trials and strategies to help caregivers navigate the challenging disease.
The conference will be held Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle.
There are more than 580,000 people in Florida living with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure that is expected to grow rapidly as Florida continues to see an aging population, according to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. A study a few years ago also found that Miami-Dade leads the nation in the percentage of people 65 and older who have Alzheimer’s disease, which is known to affect higher rates of Hispanic and Black populations.
People living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related illnesses can see language and memory decline as the disease progresses, which can often make it difficult to communicate and lead to emotional outbursts. It’s also a challenging and difficult time for family members who become caregivers.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about.”
Experts that will speak at the conference include:
- Dr. James Galvin, director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Galvin will discuss how to develop a healthier brain as people age. His team developed a tool a few years ago that can provide a snapshot of how healthy a patient’s brain is and how much risk the patient has of developing Alzheimer’s and related disorders.
- Blake Davis, education program manager at Alzheimer’s Community Care, which offers a variety of services to families affected by Alzheimer’s disease, including a 24-hour assistance phone number to help caregivers with non-medical urgent needs and specialized Alzheimer’s-focused adult day care centers in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties. Davis also teaches an “Alzheimer’s Disease/Lost on Foot Crisis” intervention training for the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast sheriff’s offices. During the conference, Davis will lead a session discussing how caregivers can interpret the behaviors of their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia and give tips on how to best address challenging situations.
“Supporting caregivers with links to the many available community resources, education about Alzheimer’s disease, strategies for therapeutic communication, and interpreting and deescalating challenging behaviors, is vital,” Davis said in an emailed statement. “These efforts are focused on optimizing safety and well-being for both caregiver and loved one.”
- Dr. Jeremy Koppel is a geriatric psychiatrist and the co-director of New York-based Northwell’s Litwin-Zucker Research Center for the Study of Alzheimer‘s Disease and also a member of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Medical, Scientific and Memory Screening Advisory Board. Koppel will host a discussion on clinical trials, including what people should consider before enrolling in a trial and how they can participate in upcoming studies.
If you go
What: Free Alzheimer’s Educational Conference sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Doors open at 9 a.m. for breakfast, registration and networking.
Where: Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle.
Register: Visit http://www.alzfdn.org/tour to register for the free conference.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 9:21 AM.
