Dr. Laurel Coleman, National Expert on Alzheimer’s, to Speak at Free, Informative Events for Health Professionals and the Public

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When is the right time to transition a cared-for family member with Alzheimer’s disease from the home? How can physicians and families best work together? What is the latest research on prevention and treatment of the disease, and how does dementia differ from the normal aging process? These and many more questions will be answered by noted Alzheimer’s disease expert, Dr. Laurel Coleman, in Alzheimer’s Disease: Explored & Explained, a series of free presentations she will deliver across the San Francisco Bay Area and in Southern California, from November 6–9, at Elder Care Alliance communities.

“This educational series directly supports our focus on excellence in care for those with dementia or dementia-related diseases and supporting caregivers and families coping with the effects of memory loss”

Nearly 600,000 Californians are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's.¹ One-tenth of the nation’s Alzheimer’s patients reside in this state.² With a rapidly aging population, the number is projected to reach up to 1.1 million by 2030¹. In Alzheimer’s Disease: Explored & Explained, Dr. Coleman will inform both health professionals and the public on a range of topics related to Alzheimer’s.

“This educational series directly supports our focus on excellence in care for those with dementia or dementia-related diseases and supporting caregivers and families coping with the effects of memory loss,” said Jesse Jantzen, President & CEO, Elder Care Alliance.

Dr. Laurel Coleman, who completed her medical training at University of California, San Francisco, possesses impressive credentials, including a Geriatric Fellowship at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is an eight-year member of the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association, and a current member of the Alzheimer’s Advisory Council to Health & Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius.

The dates, times, and locations of Alzheimer’s Disease: Explored & Explained presentations are:

• Oakland: Tuesday, November 6, at 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., at Mercy Retirement & Care Center, 3431 Foothill Blvd. Please RSVP to 510-228-4725.
• San Francisco: Wednesday, November 7, at 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., at AlmaVia of San Francisco, One Thomas More Way. Please RSVP to 415-335-4867.
• San Rafael: Wednesday, November 7, at 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., at AlmaVia of San Rafael, 515 Northgate Dr. Please RSVP to 415-233-6199.
• Union City: Thursday, November 8, at 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., at AlmaVia of Union City, 33883 Alvarado-Niles Rd. Please RSVP to 510-400-7496.
• Camarillo: Friday, November 9, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., at AlmaVia of Camarillo, 2500 Ponderosa Dr. North. Please RSVP to 805-322-7834.

About Dr. Laurel Coleman

Dr. Laurel Coleman is a geriatrician who is an attending physician at Maine Medical Center's Geriatric Center. She also works on an inpatient Palliative Care Team at Central Maine Medical Center.

About Elder Care Alliance

Elder Care Alliance is a nonprofit public benefit corporation committed to serving and enriching the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of older adults through a network of professional, faith-centered care communities and services. Co-sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, one of its founding communities is Mercy Retirement & Care Center established in 1872. While a deep sense of faith, dignity, and compassion is still evident today, all Elder Care Alliance communities foster environments of tolerance that welcome residents of all faiths. Elder Care Alliance is co-sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas West Midwest Community & the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For more information, visit www.ElderCareAlliance.org.

¹ Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures in California, Current Status and Future Projections, Alzheimer’s Association, February 2009, http://www.chhs.ca.gov/initiatives/Documents/CADataReport-3-9.pdf

² California Alzheimer’s Disease Program, California Department of Public Health, http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/alzheimers/Pages/default.aspx.