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The Advanced Family Hearing Aid Center, located at 2027 N. Donovan Avenue in Crystal River, is the latest Citrus County Business to be trained and certified Dementia Friendly. Company owner Jerillyn Clark explains, “Many do not realize that the symptoms of hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease are nearly identical, and it is important for our staff to fully understand dementia in order to provide superior service to our clients.”

Advanced Family Hearing’s services include in-office or mobile on-site hearing testing, hearing aid fitting and sales, and hearing aid service and adjustment for most brands, including Veteran Administration service at no charge.
Clark continues, “Alzheimer’s and dementia training for all of our staff now places us in a position to better serve individuals who may be living with dementia, and their caregivers and families.”

Advanced Family Hearing Aid Center was trained and certified by the Inverness-based Coping with Dementia LLC, which has trained more than 35 Citrus County businesses and organizations.

For more information about The Advanced Family Hearing Aid Center, call 352-795-1775. For more information about Dementia Friendly certification, call 365-422-3663.

The Beverly Hills office of 21st Century Oncology, located at 3406 N. Lecanto Highway, has received training and become certified Dementia Friendly by Coping with Dementia LLC, an Inverness company that provides education and care training for families and organizations serving individuals with dementia.

With a network of 800 physicians delivering advanced cancer care, 21st Century Oncology is one of the premier providers of cancer care services. Its radiation centers, such as the Beverly Hills facility, offer the latest cancer care technology and innovative treatment options.

Radiation Technologist Sharon Bilby explains, “Our clients typically range in age from 55 to 70, which puts them in the window for the possible onset of dementia. It is important that our staff have knowledge of memory diseases and know how to serve these individuals with multiple medical needs.”

Bilby adds, “We are pleased to be the first business of our type in Citrus County to become certified as dementia friendly.”

The Ocala office of 21st Century Oncology, located at 3201 SW 33rd Road, has received training and become certified Dementia Friendly by Coping with Dementia LLC, an Inverness company that provides education and care training for families and organizations serving individuals with dementia. It is the first business in Ocala to have earned the Dementia Friendly certification.

With a network of 800 physicians delivering advanced cancer care, 21st Century Oncology is one of the premier providers of cancer care services. Its radiation centers, such as the Ocala facility, offer the latest cancer care technology and innovative treatment options.

Physician Liaison Helen Greene explains, “Our patients typically range in age from 55 to 70, which puts them in the window for the possible onset of dementia. It is important that our staff have knowledge of memory diseases and know how to serve these individuals with multiple medical needs.”

Greene adds, “We are pleased to be the first business of our type in Marion County to become certified as dementia friendly.”

The Crystal River United Methodist Church, located at 4801 N. Citrus Avenue, became the ninth church in Citrus County to be certified Dementia Friendly by completing training in a workshop of 40 of its members conducted April 22, 2017.

Dementia Friendly certification confirms that a significant number of the congregation and its leadership have completed a training on Alzheimer’s and dementia, how to recognize its symptoms, and how to communicate and better serve people with dementia and their caregivers in order to keep them social and maintain their quality of life.

Pastor David Rawls, who attended the workshop, states, “Understanding and better serving individuals with dementia and their caregivers is consistent with our wide range of ministries which are all aimed at better serving our members and our greater community as a loving church.”

Founded in 1880, the Crystal River United Methodist Church has served Citrus County for more than 135 years. More information is available about the church at https://crumc.com/index.asp.

Hen House Café raises $2,500 for dementia friendly business training

The Hen House Cafe, which was the first business in Citrus County to become trained and certified as ‘Dementia Friendly,’ has raised more than $2,500 to be used for the training of other businesses throughout the county in the techniques of ‘dementia friendly’ customer service. The money will be used to fund scholarships to offset the cost of employee training and business certification.

Kim Speckner, owner of The Hen House, located at 206 Tompkins Street in Inverness, Florida, explains, “I am a believer that Dementia Friendly certification is not only the right thing to do for any business that may serve individuals with dementia and their caregivers, but that it is also smart business. It has brought us new and repeat customers, and has given our restaurant a reputation for a higher level of customer service.” The Hen House was certified Dementia Friendly in June, 2015.

Hen House Dementia Friendly training scholarship money was raised through cook book sales and special fund-raising events. Any business in Citrus County interested in learning more about training and certification, or applying for scholarships for its employees to be trained can contact Debbie Selsavage, President of Coping with Dementia LLC, the Inverness-based company that provides Dementia training and certification. Selsavage may be reached at 352-422-3663 or deb@coping.today.

Selsavage states, “We are very grateful for this valuable support from the Hen House. Better understanding and accommodating the needs of individuals living with dementia, as well as their caregivers, is extremely important to a region like Citrus and surrounding counties where more than a third of the population is over the age of 65. This demographic alone guarantees that we will all more frequently interact with individuals and families coping with dementia, and it is important that we respond to them with understanding and compassion.”

While a per-trainee fee is charged for training and certifying for-profit businesses, Selsavage adds that Dementia Friendly training and certification is available also to churches and non-profit organizations for free.

First Baptist Church of Inverness certified Dementia Friendly

Forty members of the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Inverness, located at 550 Pleasant Grove Road, have completed training to qualify the church to become certified as Dementia Friendly. The training, conducted by Debbie Selsavage, President of Coping with Dementia LLC, took place on March 28 at a meeting of The Prime Timers, the church’s senior adult ministry. Continue reading “First Baptist Church of Inverness certified Dementia Friendly”

Lake Rousseau RV Park and Fishing Resort, a leisure community at 10811 N Coveview Terrace, near Crystal River, Florida, has earned certification as a Dementia Friendly community based on completion of an ABC of Dementia workshop administered by Debbie Selsavage, President of Coping with Dementia LLC. Continue reading “Lake Rousseau Resort certified Dementia Friendly”

Local 21st Century Oncology office certified Dementia Friendly

The Beverly Hills office of 21st Century Oncology, located at 3406 N. Lecanto Highway, has received training and become certified Dementia Friendly by Coping with Dementia LLC, an Inverness company that provides education and care training for families and organizations serving individuals with dementia.

With a network of 800 physicians delivering advanced cancer care, 21st Century Oncology is one of the premier providers of cancer care services. Its radiation centers, such as the Beverly Hills facility, offer the latest cancer care technology and innovative treatment options.

Radiation Technologist Sharon Bilby explains, “Our clients typically range in age from 55 to 70, which puts them in the window for the possible onset of dementia. It is important that our staff have knowledge of memory diseases and know how to serve these individuals with multiple medical needs.”

Bilby adds, “We are pleased to be the first business of our type in Citrus County to become certified as dementia friendly.”

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church of Inverness certified Dementia Friendly

Inverness, FL., February 5, 2017 – St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, located at 114 N. Osceola Avenue in Inverness, has been certified a Dementia Friendly Church based on completion of training by more than 30 members of its congregation.

The training, consisting of a two-hour workshop in how to better understand and more effectively communicate with individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other diseases that cause dementia, was conducted by Certified Dementia Practitioner Debbie Selsavage, President of the Inverness-based Coping with Dementia LLC.

Pastor Eugene Reuman, the Rector of St. Margaret’s, said, “With dementia becoming more prevalent in our county and throughout the nation, it is incumbent upon us to provide a church that is as understanding and welcoming as possible to these individuals and their families.”

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, which emphasizes the acceptance of all as children of God, has served the citizens of Citrus County for more than 120 years.