Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. American caregivers provide an estimated 18.4 billion hours of care to Alzheimer’s patients that is valued at over $232 billion. And the number of those diagnosed is expected to rise. Educating nurses, other health professionals and caretakers as to what is new in defying the dementias will help them better care and advocate for patients and loved ones.

A panel of experts will discuss Alzheimer’s and other dementias at Regis College in Weston on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The panel, moderated by Kellie LaPierre, DNP(c), AGNP, assistant professor of Nursing at Regis, includes: Robert Moir, PhD, assistant professor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School; Paula Grammas, PhD, executive director at the George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rhode Island, and Allison Dill, MS, APRN, FNP-BC, assistant professor of Nursing at Regis.

“Alzheimer’s disease can be very debilitating and challenging, not only for the patient but for those who care for them,” said Regis President Antoinette Hays, PhD, RN. “The good news is that exciting breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of dementias hold promise for millions of people. I’m grateful to the panelists for sharing their expertise with the Regis community.”

Since 2007, the Regis President’s Lecture Series on Health has featured insight from industry experts that inform health care professionals and the public about contemporary health and wellness issues. The goal is for audiences to gain the knowledge needed to affect positive change.

Registration for the President’s Lecture Series on Health is available online at regiscollege.edu/alzheimers by calling 781.768.8080 by Monday, April 16, 2018.

This continuing nursing education activity has been approved for two contact hours by the American Nurses Association Massachusetts, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credential Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Application for Social Work continuing education contact hours has been submitted. Please contact hugh.clark@regiscollege.edu for the status of social work contact hours.