Alzheimer’s Assoc. Signs on With PA Forward®

Media Contacts:

Alyssa Marsico, Marketing Specialist 412-261-5040 ext 3104 [email protected]

Brandi Hunter-Davenport, PA Forward® Project Manager 717-766-7663 [email protected]

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION GREATER PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER AND PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION WORKING TOGETHER TO MOVE PA FORWARD®

Greater PA Chapter joins PA Forward® partnership; Provides community educational programs and resources through libraries

Erie, PA (Feb. 14, 2018) – As the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research, the Alzheimer’s Association is committed to raising awareness of this fatal brain disease. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) the Alzheimer’s Association staff will provide educational programs and resources to the community at libraries throughout Pennsylvania.  

“We are so pleased to partner with a great organization such as the Pennsylvania Library Association” said Gail Roddie-Hamlin, President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter. “These programs will provide our local communities with vital information on facing the challenges that arise when confronted by Alzheimer’s disease.”

Know the Ten Signs and Healthy Living for your Brain and Body will be the programs initially offered through libraries in Clearfield, Erie, Luzerne, Northumberland and Westmoreland counties between March and June. Previous programs also occurred in Blair County. Additional topics and discussions will be offered in other areas of the state as scheduled.

“We are honored to have the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter join us as PA Forward® partner,” said Christi Buker, Pennsylvania Library Association Executive Director. “PA Forward® frames the picture of what all Pennsylvania’s libraries offer to our citizens daily and helps us to share the value they bring to the communities they serve. The Alzheimer’s Association has a myriad of programs and resources that can truly help change the trajectory of someone’s life. They are a welcomed addition to the work of PA Forward® and will help libraries provide more health literacy opportunities for their patrons.”

PA Forward®, an outreach initiative of the Pennsylvania Library Association, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist all residents in enhancing their overall quality of life. The program seeks to improve the literacy levels of Pennsylvanians by connecting them with the information, learning, and technology resources available at their local libraries. These programs aim to develop a better trained and more skilled workforce, which in turn grows the commonwealth’s tax base, economy and population.

The Know the Ten Signs programs encourages awareness of Alzheimer’s so that recognition of the Ten Signs could lead to earlier diagnosis as well as care and planning options. Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body teaches attendees that the health of the brain and body are connected, providing insight on how to optimize physical and cognitive health throughout one’s life. These programs allow facilitators from the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to engage with the community and are equipped with care, support and educational resources for attendees. 

For more information on this program as well others offered by the Alzheimer’s Association Greater PA Chapter, call 814-456-9200. The Association also has a toll-free, 24/7 helpline available at 800-272-3900. Information is also available at alzconnected.org. Libraries interested in hosting a program in their local area can contact the Pennsylvania Library Association at 717-766-7663 or [email protected].

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Alzheimer’s Association®

The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit alz.org/pa.

About the Pennsylvania Library Association

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is the state’s oldest and most diverse professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups. For more information, visit www.palibraries.org, facebook.com/PALibraries or @PALibraryAssoc on Twitter.