By Pamela Garofolo, Vice President of Program Excellence, UMC
September often brings a renewed focus on learning and new opportunities. It also serves as a reminder that education is not limited to classrooms or any one particular stage of life. Lifelong learning plays an important role in helping us navigate changes in our health and well-being, and when it comes to dementia, education can make a big difference for individuals, families, and caregivers.
Education Supports Prevention and Brain Health
While there is no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer's disease or related dementias, research continues to show that healthy lifestyle choices may help reduce risk or delay cognitive decline.
Education helps people understand modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, hearing loss, smoking, and excessive alcohol use. It also empowers individuals to take practical steps that support brain health, including staying physically active, managing chronic conditions, maintaining social connections, and seeking care for hearing or memory concerns.
For individuals who are beginning to notice cognitive changes, education can be especially valuable. Learning about brain health, mild cognitive impairment, and the early signs of dementia can encourage timely conversations with health care providers and support earlier access to evaluation and care.
Education Helps People Plan Ahead
Dementia education also helps people prepare for the future. Understanding available services, legal and financial planning considerations, and care options can make it easier for individuals to name trusted advocates, communicate their wishes, and make informed choices before a crisis occurs.
These conversations are not easy, but education can provide families with the confidence needed to begin planning and discussing important decisions.
Education Strengthens Caregiving
For caregivers, both paid and unpaid, dementia education can improve the quality of care while helping to reduce stress and uncertainty. Caregivers who understand the disease process are often better prepared to respond to changes in communication, behavior, and daily functioning.
Education can also strengthen partnerships among family caregivers, professional caregivers, and health care providers by promoting shared understanding and communication.
Where to Find Dementia Education and Support
A good place to begin is UMC’s Abundant Minds Newsletter. Each month, readers receive an e-newsletter with UMC resources, program calendars, and information from trusted partners where they can continue learning more. You can sign up here.
Additional dementia education is available in many formats, including virtual and in-person support groups, brain health programs, and caregiver education sessions.
These organizations offer educational materials, caregiver resources, support services, and tools to help locate programs in local communities:
Local colleges, universities, health systems, libraries, and senior centers offer programs focused on brain health, aging, caregiving, and dementia-friendly education.
In New Jersey, examples of educational and community resources include:
Whether someone is focused on prevention, hoping to delay cognitive changes, supporting a loved one, or living with dementia themselves, education can help them feel more informed, more supported, and less alone.
UMC's Tapestries® Memory Care neighborhoods at our senior living communities in NJ offer person-centered, EssentiALZ-certified care — with familiar routines and a true sense of home at every stage of the journey.
