Whiting Library to screen Alzheimer’s documentary on May 1

The documentary Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s will be screened at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 1 at Whiting Library, 117 Main St. in Chester.

The film follows three families and the unique challenges of their loved ones’ diagnoses, delving into their lived experiences. It explores how this disease impacts identities and roles in relationships: when one partner becomes a caregiver or how both parent and child are transformed when the traditional role of provider is reversed.

After the screening, Joann Erenhouse of Senior Solutions will host an engaging and informational discussion about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, including resources for people impacted by the disease, how becoming a caregiver for a parent or partner transforms relationships, the impact of community support and more.

Erenhouse organizes monthly Memory Cafés that meet at 11 a.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 313 Main St. in Chester, on the first Thursday of each month and at United Church of Ludlow, 48 Pleasant St., on the second Tuesday of each month.

Whiting Library will also display a new Memory Collection of games and aids for patients and caregivers. This was made possible by a recent Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant.

Nearly 7 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and family and friends of those living with dementia provide 18 billion hours of unpaid care each year.

Please call the library at 802-875-2277 or send an e-mail to reserve your spot.

Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s will debut at 10 p.m. on Monday, May 5 on PBS and the PBS app. Check your local listings.