AlzAuthors Launches Inspiration Collection on Caribbean Cruise

AlzAuthors is thrilled to join a new cruise and conference designed for those living with early-stage Alzheimer’s, their caregivers, and their loved ones. The AlzAuthors Inspiration Collection: Extraordinary Books about Alzheimer’s and Dementia will sail to the Caribbean April 6-13 during the inaugural Connecting Circles of Care and Building Bridges of Hope℠ Cruise & Conference, an empowering 7-day retreat experience that offers respite and education.

“Our cruise and conference provide an opportunity for attendees to benefit from a wide range of programming created for their complex and stressful lives,” says Lisa Marie Chirico, Dementia Caregiver Cruise and Conference Producer. “Additionally, the tropical wonders and beauty of the Caribbean offer healing for both the body and the spirit, so it’s a perfect pairing.” Chirico was a full-time caregiver for her father, who had Alzheimer’s disease, and is passionate about supporting dementia caregivers and their families. She currently works as a Nursing Home Navigator Coach for clients experiencing long-term care at Nursinghomeology.com.

We are deeply grateful to our generous sponsor, the Kline Center for Dementia Support and Grandparenting Research, who has underwritten the costs of bringing this collection of books to the cruise conference. A cross-section of memoirs, novels, caregiving guides and more from our bookstore will be selected for inclusion based on the needs of conference attendees. In addition, each participant will receive a copy of our anthology, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiving Stories, Volume 1.

A distinguished panel of dementia and senior care practitioners and professionals will join Chirico for this conference, including AlzAuthors co-founder and manager Marianne Sciucco. An experienced cruiser, Sciucco is excited to join the cruise and conference, and remembers one cruise where she encountered a woman with dementia and her attentive family several times throughout the week.

“I was pleased to see the family taking a vacation together but had lots of questions,” she says. “How were the woman’s special needs being met? What if she wandered away from her family and got lost? Which activities were meaningful to her? What happened when the ship docked, and the family went on excursions? Did she join them or stay behind? Who watched over her? The whole thing seemed complicated. A cruise experience that addresses these special concerns is a wonderful opportunity for these families to grab some needed respite and make lifelong memories.”

Sciucco will present her program, “How Three Daughters of Dementia Started AlzAuthors, a Global Community of Writers Sharing their Dementia Stories,” and will also present a Book Club-style meeting for her novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story for attendees who read the book prior to departure.

Additional presenters include:

• Jeff Borghoff, Living with and Fighting the War on Alzheimer’s Disease With Love Action: “Embracing Change and Living Confidently With Alzheimer’s Disease”
• Lisa Marie Chirico, Cruise and Conference Producer, and Nursing Home Navigator Coach: “Resilience Strategies I Wish I’d Known When I Was a Caregiver”
• Daniel J. Hutcherson, Financial Gerontologist, and 20-year Wall Street Veteran: “The Six Domains of Financial Exploitation: Protecting Your Money and Your Independence”
• Peter Maeck, Writer, Photographer, Teacher, and Speaker: “Remembrance of Things Present: Making Peace with Dementia”
• Christy Turner, Founder of Dementia Sherpa: “The Dementia Sherpa’s Roadmap to Being the Best Darn Dementia Care Partner You Can Be (Even When You’re Feeling Worn Out or Frustrated)”
• Gene Saunders, Founder & CEO, Project Lifesaver International: “Discover How Project Lifesaver Protects Your Loved One and Provides Your Family with Peace of Mind”
• Daphne Glover Ferrier, Award-Winning Film Producer, and Co-owner of Backfin Media: “SPENT – The Hidden Cost of Dementia”
• Loretta Anderson, Independent Healthcare Researcher Investigating Lifestyle Interventions in Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Brain Aging: “New Lifestyle Interventions for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers”

This cruise is suitable for those in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s and their caregivers and other family members, as well as practitioners and advocates who focus on healthy aging, gerontology, brain health, and dementia.

The seven-day cruise and conference sails to the Caribbean on Holland America’s MS Oosterdam and departs from Fort Lauderdale, FL on April 6th, 2019 with stops in Key West; Turks and Caicos; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; and Holland America’s award-winning private island Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. All cruise reservations must be made through Jody McShea at DePrez Travel Bureau, Inc., who can be reached at (585) 442-8900, extension 208, or via email at jmcshea@depreztravel.com.

For additional information contact Lisa Marie Chirico, Dementia Caregiver Cruise and Conference Producer, at lisa@nursinghomeology.com or call her at (646) 784-7629.