By Lynn Jones – Members of Bethel Baptist Church Senior were on the frontline for Alzhemiers disease to be educated on ways to improve brain health and reduce the risk of memory loss.  The diverse agenda included a Q & A panel, breakout sessions and the latest information on research and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and related memory disorders.

Entitled: “Pathways 2 Brain Health,” was a collaboration with Mayo Clinic and the church. Hundreds of church members and community friends attended the event that was held in the church sanctuary and broadcast via Facebook live. Also shared was information on care-giving techniques and the ultimate question: What is dementia, and is it reversible?

“For far too long, the issues of the brain and its health have not been a priority in the African American community,” says Bishop Rudolph McKissick, Jr., senior pastor of The Bethel Church. “I am thankful that Mayo Clinic will partner with us to bring attention to brain health so that our resilience begins with healthy streams of consciousness that result in health and wholeness in our living.”

“African Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and we believe it’s important to promote brain health to reduce the risk of memory loss and promote healthy aging,” says Gregory Day, M.D., a neurologist with the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer Disease Research Center.

The next Bethel Baptist Pathways 2 Brain Health 2.0 is scheduled for September 2023.