ST. GEORGE — Memory Matters is offering residents of Southern Utah and southern Nevada a 10-week course designed to benefit those with an early stage memory loss or dementia diagnosis and their care partners.

The “Early Stage Memory Loss Series” begins Sept. 17 and continues through Nov. 19, with sessions taking place each Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the St. George Library, 88 W. 100 South. According to a press release from Memory Matters, recognized professionals will provide the tools and resources necessary for participants and caregivers to face the challenges of a memory loss illness.

Classes will promote brain health and help participants plan for the future. Featuring presentations on legal and financial preparation, pharmaceutical and alternative remedies, brain health and nutrition, the course is designed to aid the person with memory loss and their primary care partner. The presentations will rake place during the first hour of each class, and during the second hour, participants may attend either a cognitive training group or a care partner training and support group.

“There are seven stages of dementia,” Memory Matters founder and director LuAnn Lundquist said in the press release. “The first one is where the disease process is evident in brain pathology, but few symptoms are evident. Stages two through four are very important stages to recognize and then become active to maintain brain health as well as making preparations and decisions for the future. After stage four, many of those opportunities are limited.”

Lundquist said that clients who are proactive in their health are usually the ones who sign up for the intervention.

“We have seen a lot of success with those who attend this course,” she said. “Alzheimer’s and dementia can seem overwhelming, but with this course our clients walk away feeling better prepared and empowered to face the future.”

Symptoms of memory loss can be caused by reversible conditions. It is important to quickly see a doctor to rule out those conditions. If the diagnosis is an illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease, there are things that can be done in the early stages to help the person function better and longer. Proactive decisions can give voice to the person with memory loss in the future.

It is important to face this life event early, the press release states, adding that denial during the early stages can cause a family to miss opportunities to improve the situation.

Preregistration is required to attend the course, with a suggested donation of $25.

Register online at the Memory Matters website. More information can be found by visiting the Memory Matters office, located at 168 N. 100 East, Suite 104, St George, or by calling 435-319-0407 or emailing [email protected].

Memory Matters Utah/Nevada is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to reduce isolation and improve wellness for individuals with dementia and their caregivers through activities, support, education and consultation.

Event details

• What: “Early Stage Memory Loss Series” 10-week course.
• When: Begins Sept. 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and runs subsequent Tuesdays through Nov 19.
• Where: St. George Library, 88 W. 100 South, St. George.
• Cost: Suggested donation of $25. Preregistration is required and can be completed at the Memory Matters website.