Bethesda Parkinson's and Dementia Support Groups, Willmar, MN
Clara City Care Center, Clara City, MN
Education
Understanding dementia is crucial for everyone, including family members, professional care partners, and the general public. For over 20 years, speech-language pathologist Gretchen Reeves has been a sought-after guest and keynote speaker at local, regional, state and national levels. Her sessions, which cover a range of dementia-related topics, are renowned for their interactive, engaging and practical approach. Participants have praised her presentations, noting, ”I found myself sitting up in my chair and wanting to be there!” Gretchen also tailors educational sessions for family care partners needing more individualized assistance.
Ortonville, MN Memory Cafe
Photo by Robina Weermeijer
Veterans Home, Montevideo, MN
Atwater Area Help For Seniors, Atwater, MN
Gretchen is featured in the video, "Birkey's Brain."
Dr. Tom Birkey is a long-time family physician who has served Montevideo for more than 50 years. He's dedicated his career to educating and advocating for rural physicians — for the health of people in the community and for the health of the profession. And now, Dr. Birkey is embarking on the next phase in his health care journey: He suspected that he was developing Alzheimer’s disease in early 2022. This story follows the early stages of Dr. Tom Birkey's journey with Alzheimer’s disease and his wife Doris Thompson’s experience as his caregiver. The film was produced at Dr. Birkey’s suggestion after he attended an event sponsored by the Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network (MAMLN). This story was produced with support from MAMLN.