Letter from Leadership

Dear Readers,

I am honored to serve as your Interim Executive Director , and to write on behalf of the entire ADRC Board of Directors, as we welcome 2025 and some transformational aspects of new leadership.

We are committed to continuing Edith’s incredible legacy at ADRC. She’s been the hallmark, the cornerstone, of our organization for 11 years, and we want to continue her imprint that she has had on this community.

She will continue to further ADRC’s mission as a Dignified Dementia Consultant, and I am happy to serve as Executive Director as we hunt for her permanent successor.

You know me in the community as the founder of ClinCloud Clinical Trials, and the founder and strategic advisor of My Memory Clinic. I most recently served as ADRC’s Board secretary.

Rest assured, that the agency will continue operation as usual, even as we embrace ADRC’s expansion.

Our team is growing, which is exciting! Jody Hampton, our new Director of Community Engagement, brings a deep passion for supporting Central Florida’s aging population, and I encourage you to read our Spotlight on Jody Hampton in this quarter’s newsletter.

We’ve got lots of timely articles for you in this issue of Care Partner Connection — everything from how to optimize your sleep as a Care Partner to avoiding scams that target older adults.

We also reunited with ADRC Board Member Dr. Daniel Paulson to discuss how we might set more effective resolutions that prioritize our health and wellbeing.

And Spencer Cline, whose cross-country bike ride got lots of press last year, will join us for a presentation on Frontotemporal Dementia, Feb. 19. You can read more about his talk, especially for ADRC, in our article.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we put together a list of ways to celebrate your person within the context of the journey you are now embarking on. We are also sharing Flor and Raymond’s incredible love story, which spanned seventy years and an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. We hope you enjoy reading that.

As always, we’ve got our news round-up, and lots of incredible events on our calendar.

We are offering our virtual Mindfulness & Meditation class Monday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. and our Self-Care Saturday yoga class Feb. 8 at 9 a.m.

Upcoming Dementia Caregiver Connection workshops at the Center for Health and Wellbeing include: Paying for Care Feb. 6, Tools and Techniques March 6, Self-Care: When to Include Others April 3, and You Are Not Alone! May 1.

In her Tools and Techniques Online Workshop, ADRC Director of Arts and Wellness Ashley Gravatte will teach attendees how to mitigate their person’s anxiety. The class takes place at 10 a.m. Feb. 18.

Gravatte will also present Understanding Brain Changes in Dementia online, at 10 a.m. March 13.

And Edith’s six-week Dignified Dementia Care: A Partnership series kicks off Feb. 21, and meets weekly, 10 a.m. - noon at Charter Research.

There is so much to look forward to as we embrace ADRC’s next chapter. We are so excited to increase access to ADRC’s incredible resources, and find new ways to engage this amazing community.

Thank you, as always, for reading, and for being here!