St. John’s Hosts Best-Selling Author for Caregiving Series

Author of “Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer’s Journey” and family caregiver Jolene Brackey came to Rochester last week for St. John’s “How to Find Joy in Caregiving” event and other caregiver-centered programs held in partnership with Lifespan of Greater Rochester and Nazareth University.

St. John’s welcomed Brackey to Brickstone by St. John’s to share information and fellowship with this group of more than 75 caregivers and professionals as part of its ongoing and evolving efforts to meet the needs of Rochester’s dementia caregiver community. Brackey discussed what to expect during the caregiving journey — from dealing with familial dynamics, caregiver burnout, to finding what works best for you and your loved one. Caregivers also had the option of using St. John’s Dementia Caregiver Respite Program  for their loved ones as necessary and at no charge in order to attend the program.

Brackey’s captivating and eccentric personality provided attendees with an afternoon of education, joy, laughs, and hope. After her presentation Brackey signed attendees’ copies of her book and had one-on-one interactions.

Before Brackey’s headlining event on November 7, she visited St. John’s Home on November 6 for a special lunch and book discussion. Members of a Lifespan-led book group, which took place virtually weeks prior to the lunch and focused on Brackey’s book, were also in attendance. The virtual group was facilitated by Joy Underhill who joined Brackey at St. John’s Home. During the lunch Brackey shared her personal journey as a caregiver for her father and mother.

Later that evening Brackey joined a panel of experts at Nazareth University for Dr. David Steitz’s “A Cross-Cultural Conversation on Aging, Caregiving, and End of Life.” Joining Brackey was Dr. Carol Brownstein-Evans, Nazareth’s Faculty Emerita in Social Work; Dr. Corinne Dempsey, Nazareth’s Professor and Chair in Religious Studies; and Abby Goldberg, a Nazareth student. The discussion was open to Nazareth University students as well as local professionals in the older adult care industry.

Photos from the series can be viewed here.

Listen: ‘Perfectly Wonderful Moments’ Event Promoted on “Connections”