By Emily Williams
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook’s newest ministry, Founders Place, has invited author Patti Callahan Henry for a meet the author and book signing event Aug. 27.
Henry will share her new novel “The Favorite Daughter,” which explores themes of memory and family.
The event will raise money for the ministry and its efforts to provide respite for caregivers and quality programming for memory care patients.
In 2018, approximately 92,000 Alabamians suffered from Alzheimer’s, according to data from the Alzheimer’s Association. In 2017, an estimated 304,000 Alabamians identified themselves as caregivers for a person with memory loss.
“Founders Place opened in late April and is now able to accommodate several additional participants,” said Executive Director Susanna Whitsett.
The program hosts programming on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. for $40 a day. There also is a caregiver support group that meets Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m.
“Founders Place has been a breath of fresh air for me and my husband,” one of the ministry’s caregiver participants was quoted as saying in a statement from the group. “We both look forward to it every week. He often asks when it will be time to go back. It gives us both a break from each other and I think it makes him feel like he still has some independence. He gets to go somewhere without me.”
According to Whitsett, the hope is to add more days in the future.
“Attending Founders Place feels a little like going to camp; we paint, tell stories, sing, exercise, play games and eat lunch together – all kinds of activities that stimulate the brain and provide opportunities to socialize,” Whitsett said. “And there’s always a lot of laughter and love.”
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the church and includes opening remarks from Miller Piggott of Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, along with a wine and cheese reception and book signing.
Tickets for the event are $35, with funds benefitting Founders Place’s mission to provide quality programming for adults with memory loss, caregiver respite and volunteer opportunities.
For more information, visit foundersplacepresents.eventbrite.com.
