22
November
2019
|
20:02 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

DMC Nursing Students Offering Health Fair and Virtual Dementia Tour Dec. 3

Article by: Rosa Linda Reynoso

With “turkey and all the fixings season” here, you might be looking for a healthier way to get through the holidays. Or, you might need more information and a better understanding of caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease?

Del Mar College (DMC) Nurse Education Department students may have answers. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, the department will host a fun, interactive Nutrition and Health Fair showcasing concepts students studied this semester, along with sharing some knowledge and understanding about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease with the community during a free Virtual Dementia Tour.

The FREE fair and Virtual Dementia Tours run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Conference Room 1 in the Harvin Student Center on the College’s East Campus at Ayers Street and Baldwin Boulevard. Event activities are open to the public. For more information, contact DMC Nurse Education faculty member Dr. Donna Huddleston at 361-698-2874 or dhuddleston@delmar.edu.

DMC students will serve as guides during the Virtual Dementia Tour, a simulated sensory experience for those who care for an individual with the disease to provide insight about the physical and mental challenges of those suffering from dementia. Seating is limited and registration is required online at www.secondwind.org/virtual-dementia-tour/virtual-dementia.

Committed to the public health approach solution by sharing ideas, encouraging collaboration and providing education, DMC demonstrated the Virtual Dementia Tour simulation to state legislatures earlier this year.

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia and a major health issue in Texas. Currently, 390,000 Texans have been diagnosed with the disease, and the condition is commonly underdiagnosed. The disease is the sixth leading cause of death without a cure or a way to prevent it. Unpaid caregivers add billions of dollars of cost to this progressive and terminal condition.

DMC’s Nurse Education Department is focused on raising awareness for the care of the person with dementia, their caregivers and professionals who provide care in the community and in facilities. The College’s Nurse Education Department raises awareness through educational activities and simulations throughout the year.

Recently, the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin distributed the new Texas State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease 2019-2023 to the Texas stakeholders who were instrumental in its development. Representing DMC’s Nurse Education Department, Associate Professor Dr. Huddleston attended the meeting. The purpose of the state plan as required by Health and Safety Code, Section 99.001 is to use a public health approach and serve as a resource for eight (8) priority areas and actions.

  • Education and awareness
  • Coordinated systems of care and support
  • Partnerships and engagement
  • Training
  • Quality care and support
  • Family inclusion
  • Importance of data collection and evaluation
  • Advance research and collaboration

For anyone wanting to be added or who wants to recommend an organization for the Texas stakeholder list, send the name of the contact person, the organization, email address and the reason for the recommendation to Dr. Donna Huddleston at dhuddleston@delmar.edu.

 

About Del Mar College

Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.