Community fair supports memory health

On Sunday, November 15, residents and guests of the F.E. Parker Memorial Home will join together for their second annual Free Memory Health Fair. This public event is part of a larger participation in the Memory Screening Day organized by the National Alzheimer’s Foundation.

Although the official date of the nationwide event is November 17, Parker is holding the largest leg of its local program on the Sunday prior in order to better utilize both their time and resources. “Parker is committed to bringing memory loss awareness and education to the seniors in our community,” said Roberto Muñiz, President and CEO of the Parker facility.

The fair is open to the public by registration. In addition to memory screenings, it will feature educational seminars, guided tours of the Parker Home community and physically and mentally stimulating exercises, including cooking and Wii Fit demonstrations.

“The ultimate goal is to bring awareness to (dementia),” said Margaret Fourounjian, Marketing Coordinator at Parker Home. She noted that early detection is critical in combating and managing the disease. “You can’t ignore the signs,” she said.

In addition to the events being held on Sunday, the facility will be hosting a Mini Memory Health Fair on the 17th. This event will be open to residents of the home and their families, along with members of the public who cannot attend on Sunday.

Parker participated in the National Alzheimer’s Foundation event for the first time last year, and saw great success. Out of 120 participants, 100 people received memory screenings and 99 percent toured the facility’s community.

“Anyone over the age of 55 and people who are concerned about memory impairment should attend,” said Fourounjian.

Having experienced such success, Parker made the decision to participate once again, this time with an expanded and more detailed agenda. Each participant can have a 10-15 minute memory screening and evaluation by members of the home’s healthcare staff, and they will be given a free lunch. Everyone who participates in a cooking demonstration led by Parker's executive chef Rocco Mita will also receive a free recipe book featuring all of the Holiday-themed recipes from the demo.

The Memory Fair will also bring in noted geriatric and memory health professionals, including Dr. Cynthia Green, Founder of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Research Center; geriatrician Dr. John M. Heath, who is currently working on experimental treatments; and Alzheimer’s Association spokesperson Barbara DeAngelis, to host seminars and lectures for the attendees.

The Free Memory Health Fair will be held at Parker at the Pavilion at 443 River Road in Highland Park, from 12:30 to 4:30 PM on Sunday, November 15. To register call 732-545-2400 or visit www.feparker.net.