In honor of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the James L. West Center for Dementia Care announces two events – one tied to Veterans Day and the other related to a multi-award-winning documentary on dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Since 40% of the West Center’s 100 residents are military veterans, those who have served – along with their families – are being honored with a ceremony at 1500 hours (3:00 p.m.) on Monday that will feature two military speakers of great prominence. The service will occur in the Education Room of the West Center at 1111 Summit Avenue.
The James L. West Center is the only certified long-term care facility in North Texas to have a contract with the Veterans Administration.
“We are honored that Captain Jonathan Townsend, U.S. Navy, and Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, will keynote the dedication of the services to those who honorably served our nation in the military,” says James L. West Center President/CEO Cheryl Harding.
“We continue to honor the service of those veterans who have defended our nation’s freedom and your and my way of life.”
The guest speaker will be Retired Colonel Kimberly Olson, who logged a series of “first’s” for women in the U.S. Air Force. She was the first female pilot trained at Laughlin Air Force Base, in Hondo; a member of the first female class to graduate from pilot school; and one of the first women to serve as a commander.
Harding adds, “Colonel Olson also served on the Joint Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon, so she earned a lot of respect as she opened doors for women who served alongside and behind her.”
The Veterans Day ceremony will begin with the posting of colors by members of the Lone Star Paralyzed Veterans of America and will conclude with comments by James Korth, Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and immediate past chairman of the board at the West Center
Just four days later, the West Center will begin hosting a weekend of events around “Alive Inside,” the documentary on the power of music to benefit dementia and Alzheimer’s patients that has earned over a dozen awards, including the top two awards at the prestigious 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The film director, Michael Rossato-Bennett, will play brief clips from the film and share his director’s comments at the Downtown Fort Worth Rotary Club during lunch on Friday at the Fort Worth Club.
That same afternoon, Rossato-Bennett will host a showing of the “Alive Inside” for two probate court justices and their staffs. “We are so impressed that two local Tarrant County probate judges have made time for their staffs to view the film on Friday afternoon,” said Harding. “They recognize the massive impact that dementia and Alzheimer’s are playing in our society and they want their staffs to have more of an up-front experience to understand what these families are dealing with.”
Sunday afternoon, the public is invited to attend a complimentary showing of “Alive Inside” at 4:00 p.m. at the Modern Museum located at 3200 Darnell Street in the museum district.
Following the documentary, film director Michael Rossato-Bennett will share comments about the story behind the making of “Alive Inside.” Following his comments, he will participate in a brief Q&A session with the audience.
While the event is in conjunction with the Lone Star Film Festival, the West Center is providing free admission with underwriting from the Nina Marie Cole Music and Art Series.
James L. West Center’s Cathy Neece Brown, Director for Development and Community Outreach, says, “You will be amazed how this film confirms the extremely powerful impact that music has on the quality of life and attitude of dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Music creates a deeply personal connection that can help expand the ‘aliveness’ of that loved one. We are delighted to have secured Michael because – just like James L. West – he is a pre-eminent leader in his field.”
Bringing together healthcare through the arts is another example of how the James L. West Center is a collaborator and catalyst for community education.
To acquire your complimentary tickets to “Alive Inside” for its lone showing at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, November 17, please order your tickets by emailing ninamariacoleseries@jameslwest.org or call 817-877-1199. Seating is limited for this one-time showing.