8:15-9:15 a.m

110-G. Boosting Engagement and Reducing Medications in Memory Care

I’m Still Here® uses research-based, non-pharmacologic approaches to treat the agitation, aggression, apathy, and anxiety that individuals living with dementia often experience. The new approach combines meaningful activities, specialized communication techniques, and an enriched environment to provide engagement, choice, and true purpose regardless of the level of a person’s cognitive challenge. This session will explore how Abe’s Garden Community in Nashville, TN, is implementing the I’m Still Here® approach. Presenters will use case studies to demonstrate how you can use engagement, in concert with clinical best practices, to decrease the need for medications and improve the quality of life for residents who live in a memory support community.

• Chris Coelho, Interim Executive Director, Abe's Garden
• Donna Finto-Burks, Senior Director of Clinical Care, Abe's Garden