Thanks for visiting. I am Allyson Schrier and Thriving with Dementia is my response to life as a family care partner for people living with dementia.
My stepmother, Carol had Alzheimer’s Disease. My stepfather, Ken had Vascular dementia. And closer to home, my sweet husband, Evan was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at age 47 when our two boys were just 12 and 15. He passed away at age 54.
As a family care partner there are many things along the way that I did wrong. Convinced that care partnering was something one could improve upon, I started to look for mentors. My search led me to the marvelous Teepa Snow and her organization, Positive Approach to Care (PAC). In 2018 I became certified as a PAC-certified Consultant and Trainer. As such I am qualified to train family and professional care partners in skills that promote compassionate communication and care. In 2019 I became certified by WA State DSHS to teach the full-day Dementia and Mental Health Specialty classes that are mandated for anyone wishing to work as a professional care partner in WA State. Also in 2019 I trained as a Dementia Friends Champion qualified to teach the Dementia Friends curriculum.
Most recently I joined the University of Washington in their Memory and Brain Wellness Center as Program Manager of the burgeoning Dementia ECHO program.
And, finally, a project I am very proud of is ZinniaTV—my effort to provide more engaging video programming to people with cognitive decline.