The Alzheimer’s Association’s “Brain Bus” will be in Lakeland on Sunday, March 10, to offer free education, resources and support to families facing the disease or other types of dementia.
The Brain Bus program is unique to Florida. Two mobile vehicles travel the state offering hope and help to at-risk and heavily impacted communities.
The bus will be at Harmony Baptist Church, 1645 N Webster Ave., Lakeland FL 33805 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. No appointment is needed.
Trained staff will be on hand to help families:
- Recognize the warning signs Alzheimer’s disease.
- Learn how to get an accurate diagnosis.
- Make a caregiving plan, with tips for caregivers.
- Connect with local resources.
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.
Florida has the second-highest number of people living with Alzheimer’s, with an estimated one in eight seniors affected. Currently, more than 17,900 of Polk County’s residents over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer’s, according to the association’s Florida Gulf Coast Chapter.
“Alzheimer’s impacts the entire family and broader community,” said Rob Harris, Brain Bus program manager. “We are here to support those facing Alzheimer’s and all other dementia today and in the future, to make Florida a better place to age. We hope anyone with questions will stop by.”
The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter serves 16 counties. In addition to providing education and support, it advocates for public policies to help people with dementia and raises funds for research.
Editor’s note: This brief has been updated to clarify that the Brain Bus staff can help people learn how to get a diagnosis, but they are not doctors and cannot give diagnoses.
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