DCPutnam Consulting

Home
DCPutnam Consulting

Doreen has worked 30+ years in the dementia field & has national & international certification. We were pioneers in this field of work!! Doreen C.

In the late 1980’s I was offered a position with an Alzheimer’s Association in Central New York. I was responsible for developing and implementing educational programs for family members, health care professionals and the broader community. As our program developed we began offering 3-hour training programs for family members/caregivers and we went into nursing homes and hospitals to train their s

taff and doctors. You must remember that this was back in the late 1980’s so there was not a lot of information available on the topics of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Truthfully people were referring to Alzheimer’s at the “A” word and couldn’t bring themselves to even say the word. My experience with the association broadened my knowledge and understanding exponentially. I knew at the end of each day I had truly assisted people in understanding Alzheimer’s disease; the difference between it and dementia; the importance of care and understanding the patient. A number of years ago I was the director of an adult day care program for Alzheimer’s and dementia residents in Detroit, MI. Our program provided a safe haven for patients whose families were caught in the “sandwich generation”…that is, taking care of parents and children at the same time. This was and is a very difficult time for families who are caught between issues of time management, legal & financial responsibilities, employment and perhaps retirement. Most recently, I was working for an assisted living company that provides residential care for men and women with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. As the Senior Director of the program, I worked closely with residents, their family members and the staff that cared for the residents. It was an awesome job that I loved. It was amazing to be able to interact with the residents on a daily basis. I found it fascinating to have conversations that would lead us in all sorts of directions, to see residents having so much fun participating in the activities of the day and enjoying lunch at local restaurants. I loved jumping into their reality so they felt loved, protected and validated. As a professional in the field, there are many things we take for granted in our daily routines that are completely foreign to a new caregiver. I want you to know that you are not alone and there are people who can help you through this unfortunate, frustrating and confusing situation. I hope I will hear from many of you who have questions specific to your situation. Please don’t hesitate to ask what might seem like a “stupid” or “frivolous” question. You learn by asking questions...the important thing is how you put new information into play in your daily lives to benefit your loved one and bring understanding to your own lives. I am committed to assisting caregivers – family members and professionals – in understanding what is happening during the disease process so we can all better understand how to communicate and care for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Putnam
DCPutnam Consulting

02/12/2024

First batch of "Sometimes Grandmama Doesn't Know Me!" mailed today to the first 101 PCPs, neurologists & geriatricians in Western/Central PA! And hand addressed to hopefully get their attention more quickly! Only 600 more to go!

27/11/2024

We all take the "little things" for granted, but in reality they be the most important things for us to be grateful for every day.
Happy Thanksgiving to one & all.

21/11/2024

I've completed the first of three dementia trainings for the VITAS Healthcare staff and other healthcare professionals in the PGH area. "Tricks of the Trade" was a great success! Learning how to be creative and flexible goes a long way when supporting patients with neurocognitive losses.

08/11/2024

I'm excited that I have a contract with the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to do 4-hours of dementia training for clergy and church leaders in January. This is the first of a broader three-pronged education program that will take place in 2025 for clergy & parishioners.

18/10/2024

This is the latest class of new Certified Dementia Practitioners that I trained this week. It was a great 8-hour day of sharing, learning and preparing these wonderful professionals to go back to their memory care communities & health care agencies to train others and improve dementia care for patients and families. Thank you one and all for your interest & commitment to improving dementia care. ♥️

Doreen has worked 30+ years in the dementia field & has national & international certification.

11/10/2024

Art by Anita Kunz Art
www.instagram.com/anitakunz

08/10/2024

We are so excited that Brushes & Beans Cafe has reopened! A handful of us showed our support on their opening day and did a little networking!

08/10/2024

I'm thrilled to announce that the generous family foundation that has allowed me to distribute over 2000 complimentary books to family & professional caregivers across the country has just approved a second grant.
This second grant will allow me to distribute @ 700 books to neurologists, primary care physicians and geriatricians in the greater Pittsburgh area.
I am more than grateful for the opportunity to be able to share my book with the medical community that needs to be aware of this wonderful resource for dementia families.
I am so deeply thankful to the family for their generosity, kindness and faith in my goal to educate as many people as possible about Alzheimer's disease & the related dementias.♥️

Doreen has worked 30+ years in the dementia field & has national & international certification.

10/09/2024

Civil rights icon Ruby Bridges turned 70 this week and this Mighty Girl from Arkansas paid homage to her hero during her school's book character parade!

This amazing photo dates back a few years ago when then 6-year-old Jodie Thornton dressed up as Bridges, who as a 6-year-old herself famously became the first Black child to desegregate an all-White elementary school in the South. When the then 1st grader walked to William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans on November 14, 1960, she was surrounded by a team of U.S. Marshals for her protection from an angry mob. To further evoke that historic moment, Jodie posed for this picture with her father JR Thornton, who happens to be a U.S. Marshal.

Jodie’s mom, Brandy Coates Thornton, says that when she and her daughter went through Jodie's books together to decide on a costume for the character parade, Jodie was so moved by Ruby Bridges' story that she choose to dress in her likeness. Thornton says she exclaimed: “Mama, I really do look like Ruby Bridges. I wish she had someone like you to walk her to school." It wasn't until she shared Jodie's picture on Facebook, however, that Thornton says she realized its impact, especially on people who lived through that period: "You just never know how an act so simple can mean so much to so many people on so many levels. I just never imagined that this would touch so many people... we’re not forgetting our history.”

If you'd like to share Ruby Bridge’s inspiring story with children, we highly recommend the picture book "The Story Of Ruby Bridges" for ages 4 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-story-of-ruby-bridges), the chapter book "She Persisted: Ruby Bridges" for ages 6 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/she-persisted-ruby-bridges), and the memoir that Ruby Bridges wrote for ages 8 to 12 entitled "Through My Eyes" (https://www.amightygirl.com/through-my-eyes).

Ruby Bridges is the author of the picture book "I Am Ruby Bridges" for ages 4 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/i-am-ruby-bridges) and a book connecting today's activism with her own childhood experiences for ages 10 and up "This Is Your Time" for ages 10 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/this-is-your-time)

For books for all ages about more courageous girls and women of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement for children and teens, check out our blog post on "50 Inspiring Books on Girls & Women of the Civil Rights Movement" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11177

For our favorite t-shirt celebrating fierce Mighty Girls like Ruby Bridges, check out the "Though She Be But Little She Is Fierce" t-shirt -- available in a variety of styles and colors for all ages at https://www.amightygirl.com/fierce-t-shirt

09/09/2024

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/murrysville-woman-writes-a-book-about-grandmothers-with-alzheimers/

In her professional career, Doreen Coulson Putnam noticed when grandchildren were separated from their grandparents who had Alzheimer’s and dementia. A certified dementia practitioner, Putnam sought to create an educational resource for families to help them understand memory loss and how to i...

01/09/2024

01/09/2024

September is World Alzheimer's Month!

A global campaign to combat stigma and raise awareness - so that everyone knows the signs and symptoms of dementia, and how to get support when they need it. The theme this year is time to act on dementia.

This month, you can help ensure that people affected by dementia know about the support and services that are available to them.

It's really easy to get involved, you could:
📱Share our social media posts
🗓️ Attend a dementia friendly event on the Pennsylvania calendar at www.dementiafriendlypa.org
💙Encourage others to become Dementia Friends: www.dementiafriendspa.org

30/08/2024

Looking forward to this event. If you have children in your family who have a loved one with some type of dementia... Stop by & pick up a FREE copy of my book.

****
Word Association Press

Meet Doreen Coulson Putnam, author of SOMETIMES GRANDMAMA DOESN'T KNOW ME, at A Gathering of Authors, September 12th, Peoples Library, 6:30 PM.
A one-of-a-kind book for children, this story tells the tale of two little girls who both have grandmothers with Alzheimer's disease. Doreen is a certified expert in the field, and has 25+ years of experience in the Alzheimer's Association. Beautifully illustrated, and full of heart, this book is a gem for your young reader's library.

23/08/2024

Yesterday at the Dementia Friendly Lancaster conference, I spoke on a panel about Vascular Dementia & presented a seminar on the same topic.There were 100+ participants who learned critical information about Vascular Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) and Lewey Body Dementia (LBD).

AND I was able to give away 167 of my books SOMETIMES GRANDMAMA DOESN'T KNOW ME! to many family & professional caregivers thanks to the grant I received.
A very successful 2 days with Teepa Snow and multiple dementia experts. Thank you to Dementia Friendly Lancaster and their fantastic volunteers for all the hard work they did to make this a successful conference! ♥️

22/08/2024

A GREAT day today in Lancaster, PA with Dementia Friendly Lancaster. Teepa Snow presented an all day conference on dementia. She did a fantastic job, as she always does. Marla Turnbull, my mentee, shared the day with the 500 people who benefited from Teepa's words of wisdom. Lori (right) attended a 90 minute training I did for Dementia Friendly PA (PGH) and stopped by to introduce herself. Great day!!!
AND distributed 140 of my books today! WooHoo!!!!

19/08/2024

I will be part of a panel discussion on Friday and also presenting an educational program on Alzheimer's disease and Vascular dementia. Both days will be very informative!

Address

Website

http://dcputnamconsulting.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when DCPutnam Consulting posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to DCPutnam Consulting:

Shortcuts

Address
Alerts
Contact The Business
Claim ownership or report listing
Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency?

Country:

City: