Every month, I'm reminded that good dementia care is a team effort. When clinicians, senior living partners, and families pull in the same direction, home life gets safer, calmer, and more meaningful for everyone.
Starting this issue, we're adding a book recommendation that deepens understanding and sparks practical conversations with families.
This month's Bloom Bulletin highlights opportunities for learning, movement, and meaningful engagement across our community. From hands-on education to winter-friendly wellness, our aim is simple: practical support you can use.
In this issue, you'll find:
- Forward Focus Indoor Walking Club
A new indoor walking program designed to help older adults stay active, connected, and engaged throughout the winter months. - Dementia Reality for Family Caregivers
An interactive training featuring practical caregiving strategies and a virtual reality experience that builds empathy and understanding around the lived experience of dementia. - What We're Reading: Still Alice (Lisa Genova)
A true-to-life window into Alzheimer's that helps families and professionals talk about preserving roles and routines at home (my short review included below). - Habilitation Therapy in Dementia Care
An overview of an evidence-informed, person-centered approach that prioritizes remaining abilities, emotional well-being, and dignity, supporting better outcomes for both clients and caregivers.
We're hopeful this newsletter provides helpful information, practical tools, and meaningful support so that together, we can continue finding better ways to support people living with dementia.
Jennifer Muskat
Co-Founder & Chief Client Officer, Full Bloom Memory Care
February Community Events
At Full Bloom, we believe that dementia care is about more than just support groups and resources: it's about nurturing the whole person and their circle of care. That's why we highlight not only memory-focused programs, but also wellness opportunities that encourage movement, connection, and joy for caregivers, families, and the broader community.
Indoor Walking Club
Weekly on Thursdays (2/5, 2/12, 2/19 & 2/26), 9:00am - 10:00am
Northbrook Court, 1515 Lake Cook Road, Northbrook, IL 60062
Forward Focus Concierge Medicine has launched an Indoor Walking Club every Thursday in February, offering older adults a safe, social way to stay active indoors at Northbrook Court, supporting mobility, routine, and connection during the winter months.
Memory Café at Dickinson Hall
Tuesday, February 17th, 10:00am - 11:30am
Dickinson Hall, 100 E Old Mill Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045
A welcoming space for individuals with memory loss and their caregivers to connect and enjoy activities together. This month's theme: Mammals in Your Own Backyard.
To register, call 847-234-2209 or email dhall@cityoflakeforest.com.
Full Bloom's Family Caregiver Support Group
Wednesday, February 18th, 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Full Bloom Memory Care, 222 E. Westminster, Lake Forest, IL 60045
Join us in a safe, welcoming space where caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's or other dementias can find emotional support, practical tips for daily care and communication, expert guidance, helpful resources, and meaningful connection with others who truly understand the journey.
Free to attend. Refreshments provided. Held at our Lake Forest office.
Dementia Reality for Family Caregivers
Thursday, February 19th, 10:00am - 12:30pm
Weinberg Community, 1551 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015
Dementia Reality for Family Caregivers is a 2.5-hour immersive training designed to help family caregivers better understand dementia, strengthen communication, manage challenging behaviors, and sustain their own well-being through practical strategies and a unique virtual reality experience.
Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia
Wednesday, February 25th, 7:00am - 8:00am
Emerald Place, 1879 Chestnut Ave., Glenview, IL 60025
This session explores how Alzheimer's affects the brain, how it differs from dementia, the stages and risk factors, current research and treatment options for certain symptoms, and supportive resources from the Alzheimer's Association.
What We're Reading
Still Alice
by Lisa Genova
🎧 Also available as a digital audiobook
I love Still Alice because it never loses sight of the person at the center of Alzheimer's. The story follows an early-onset diagnosis, but its heart is bigger: identity, family, dignity, communication, connection and how love adapts as memory and language change. In my work, what rings true is that identity doesn't vanish; it shifts. When making dinner is too much, choosing the music, setting the silverware, or watering plants can still keep purpose and routine alive. Genova is honest about strain and resilience, and she shows why small dignities like clear choices, consistent routines, and respectful communication help make everyday life more livable.
How we use it: as a conversation starter with families, "Which roles still matter most, and how can we keep one alive this week?"—and to frame strengths-based care (adapt the task, not the relationship).
Available at Lake Forest Book Store and other retailers nationwide. Purchase Here
Caregiver Insights
Habilitation Therapy in Dementia Care
Our latest blog explores habilitation therapy, a person-centered approach in dementia care that focuses on preserving remaining abilities, reducing distress, and improving quality of life by adapting care to how the brain changes.
Learn more about our unique approach to in-home memory care, or call us at 847-407-1450 to see how we can help.