REGIONAL—The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, or AFA, will host a free virtual Alzheimer’s educational conference for Minnesotans on Tuesday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The conference is part of the organization’s 2021 national Educating America Tour. The conference, which is free and open to everyone, will allow participants to learn from, and ask questions of, health, caregiving and legal experts. To register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour.
“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President and CEO. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you’re a caregiver, or just want to learn more, you can participate in this free virtual conference from the comfort of your home or office.” 
 Sessions during the AFA virtual conference will include:
• How Mindfulness Can Help Family Caregivers – Angela Lunde, M.A., Co-director for the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core with the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Mayo Clinic Education, in Rochester will discuss what mindfulness is and the role it can play in the well-being and quality of life for both the caregiver and the person in their care. She will help participants identify shifts in thinking that can lead to less stress and greater well-being. She will also help them experience a self-compassion mindfulness practice and provide information on local resources.
• Planning in Crisis – Having the necessary legal documents in place is extremely vital when a family is confronted with a dementia diagnosis. Hannon T. Ford, Certified Elder Law Attorney and Founding Attorney of The Ford Law Office, L.L.C., in Windom will talk about estate planning and medical assistance plans. He will discuss wills, trusts and powers of attorney, which are all vital in helping families to plan their long-term care. He will advise attendees on how to provide for their loved ones in the best way possible and protect their assets.
 
• It’s Not That Simple – Helping Families Navigate the Alzheimer’s Journey – Pam Ostrowski, Certified Dementia Practitioner, President and CEO of Alzheimer’s Family Consulting, L.L.C., and author, will provide quick tips on how to best cope with the legal, logistical, and medical decisions caregivers must make while also handling the emotional rollercoaster and communications challenges of being a caregiver. She will share her experiences as a caregiver for her mother who had Alzheimer’s and provide guidance for others who will benefit from her knowledge.
 At the conclusion of the conference, there will be a special performance by the Giving Voice Chorus. Giving Voice, based in Bloomington, helps bring together people with Alzheimer’s and their care partners to sing in choruses that foster joy, well-being, purpose and community understanding as they celebrate the potential of people living with dementia.
 For more information or to register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour. Those who can’t participate in the virtual conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline by calling 866-232-8484 or web chatting at www.alzfdn.org by clicking the blue and white chat icon in the right-hand corner of the page. The web chat feature is available in more than 90 languages.