As we move into June, Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, we're grateful for the community that gathers around this work every day. This month's Bloom Bulletin is filled with opportunities to learn, connect, and find a little lightness along the way: from a Memory Café mystery to insights on caring for couples living with dementia together.
In this issue, you'll find:
- Memory Café at Dickinson Hall
June's Memory Café celebrates the golden age of radio: a fun, welcoming space to gather, reminisce, and enjoy a great mystery together. - June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month
Every June, the Alzheimer's Association invites families, caregivers, and communities to come together in a shared commitment: raise awareness, support those on the journey, and invest in a future without Alzheimer's. - The Bloom Bookshelf: Creating Moments of Joy
Jolene Brackey reminds us that even as memory changes, the ability to experience joy remains. This book offers simple, meaningful ways to create connection in everyday moments. - Caregiver Insights: Couples with Dementia
When both parents are living with dementia, they often cover for each other so well that the family doesn't see the full picture until something goes wrong.
We hope this issue offers something useful, meaningful, or simply comforting as you navigate your own path. As always, we're here; please don't hesitate to reach out.
Jennifer Muskat
Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer, Full Bloom Memory Care
Northwestern's Mesulam Institute: 32nd Annual Alzheimer Day
Full Bloom Memory Care® was thrilled to be a Silver Sponsor of Northwestern's Mesulam Institute 32nd Annual Alzheimer Day on Tuesday, May 19th. This landmark event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, and scientists to share the latest advances in Alzheimer's care and treatment.
Jim Kimzey & Colleen Hagan
Full Bloom's CEO/Co-Founder & Director of Client Care & Training
June Community Events
Outdoor Walking Club
Weekly on Thursdays (6/4, 6/11, 6/18, & 6/25), 8:30am - 9:30am
Sunset Woods Park, 1801 Sunset Road, Highland Park, IL 60035
It's almost summer! Let's take it outside: Forward Focus Concierge Medicine's Outdoor Walking Club is in full swing. Grab a friend and enjoy the outdoors while getting your steps in. Gather at the rocket ship in the park.
The Risks of Caregiving and the Benefits of Self Care
Tuesday, June 2nd, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
North Shore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, Northfield, IL 60093
Caregiving is one of the most meaningful things you can do for someone you love. It's also one of the hardest on your body, mind, and spirit. This session explores the real physical, cognitive, and emotional toll caregiving can take, and how small, intentional acts of self-care can make a genuine difference.
Dementia Caregiver Support Group
Monday, June 8th, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Westminster Place, 3200 Grant Street, Evanston, IL 60201
Caring for someone with dementia can feel isolating. A support group offers something invaluable: a room full of people who truly understand. An open, confidential space to share experiences, ask questions, learn more about dementia, and build real connections with others on the same journey.
Memory Café at Dickinson Hall
Tuesday, June 16th, 10:00am - 11:30am
Dickinson Hall, 100 E Old Mill Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Everyone loves a good whodunit. Join Steve Darnall for a lively look at the legendary fictional detectives who captivated audiences on the airwaves, from Sherlock Holmes and Sam Spade to Nick Carter and beyond. A fun, fascinating listen for anyone who loves a great mystery.
Building Brain Health Habits
Wednesday, June 17th, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
The Indigo At Elmhurst, 123 W Brush Hill Rd, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Research shows there are everyday habits you can build today to help protect your memory and thinking as you get older – even reducing your risk of cognitive decline and possibly dementia. Join us to learn about healthy habits for your brain; the brain-heart connection; why brain health is important at all ages, and how to build your personalized action plan for brain-healthy habits.
June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month
This month, you'll see purple everywhere, including here. Purple is the official color of the Alzheimer's Association® and our primary brand color, a reminder that no family walks this road alone. At Full Bloom, we carry that belief into everything we do. Whether you're supporting families through the early stages of understanding a diagnosis or deep into the caregiving chapter yourself, we're here as your guide, your partner, and your support.
The Bloom Bookshelf
Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer's Journey
by Jolene Brackey
Recommended by Colleen Hagan, Full Bloom's Director of Client Care and Education
If you're looking for one book to shift how you see this journey, this is it. Jolene Brackey gently reframes the focus from what's been lost to what's still possible: small moments of laughter, music, routine, and calm that remind us a person is always more than their diagnosis. At Full Bloom, this philosophy lives at the heart of how we care for our clients.
Available at Lake Forest Book Store and other retailers nationwide. Purchase Here
Caregiver Insights
When Both Parents Have Dementia: What Families Need to Know Before a Crisis
It's more common than most families realize: both spouses experiencing cognitive decline at the same time, quietly compensating for each other in ways that can mask how much support they truly need. This post walks through the warning signs adult children often miss, the specific risks that come with a dual-decline household, and why standard safety assumptions no longer apply when neither partner can reliably manage a crisis alone.
Learn more about our unique approach to in-home memory care, or call us at 847-407-1450 to see how we can help.
