The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will host a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference for South Carolina residents on Wednesday, February 21 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm ET at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Columbia Greystone (200 Stoneridge Drive, Columbia) to kick off its 2024 national Educating America Tour. The free conference is open to everyone and will allow participants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, and caregiving. To register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour.

“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., AFA’s President & CEO. “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. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on February 21.”

Sessions during the AFA conference will include:

An Overview of Alzheimer’s Disease– Nishanth Kodumuri, MD, will provide a general overview of Alzheimer’s disease, including warning signs, prevention and treatments, and lifestyle approaches to management of the disease.

Dr. Kodumuri is an Associate Professor of Vascular Neurology at Prisma Health/USC School  of Medicine and Stroke Medical Director at Prisma Health – Baptist Hospital, in Columbia. Dr. Kodumuri is also President of the South Carolina Neurological Association (SCNA).

How Elder Law Protects You– Thomas Hughes, J.D., will discuss how elder law differs from estate planning and the important legal documents you should have in place to make sure that your health, legal and financial wishes are carried out as you want.

Mr. Hughes is an associate attorney with LawyerLisa, LLC, which serves the entire state of South Carolina, focusing on elder law, estate planning, wills, trusts, health care directives, and powers of attorney.

The Traumatic Impact of Alzheimer’s Disease from the Socio-Ecological Systems Model–Shawna Kirby, PhD, will discuss how Alzheimer’s disease not only impacts one’s inner circle, but how it affects society from healthcare providers to insurance companies and first responders. She will also talk about the options for families when they don’t have the financial or physical resources to care for their loved ones and the impact this has on the economy and medical care.

Dr. Kirby is a clinical forensic neuropsychologist and the owner of Midlands Neurobehavioral Services.

Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day.

For more information or to register for the February 21 conference in Columbia, visit www.alzfdn.org/tour. Those who cannot participate in the conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline by calling 866-232-8484, texting 646-586-5283, or web chatting at www.alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the right-hand corner of the page. The web chat and text message features are available in more than 90 languages.

About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support, services and education to individuals, families and caregivers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias nationwide and to fund research for better treatment and a cure. Its services include a National Toll-Free Helpline (866-232-8484) staffed entirely by licensed social workers, caregiver support groups, educational programs and publications for caregivers, dementia-care training for healthcare professionals, the National Memory Screening Program, and more. For more information about AFA, call 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, or connect with us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, or LinkedIn. AFA holds Charity Navigator’s top 4-star rating.