I love being able to say: 'Yes! There is a community center for those living with dementia.'
Kimber Behrends on the Memory Hub
Kimber Behrends is the King County Programs Manager for the Alzheimer's Association, WA State Chapter. She runs the organization's education and support groups and recruits and trains volunteers. The Alzheimer's Association, as a key Memory Hub collaborator, offers many free resources here, including consults with a social worker, dementia education workshops, and a caregiver support group. Kimber helps to run several of these programs at the Memory Hub, as part of an effort to increase the reach of Alzheimer's Association education and support.
In this spotlight, Kimber talks about the Alzheimer's Association and what being part of a dementia-friendly community means to her.
Interview by Genevieve Wanucha
What experiences led you to work at the Alzheimer's Association?
I did a lot of fundraising work and volunteering for nonprofits growing up and in college. I would run and manage fundraising events myself. I just loved it. That's how I got to the Alzheimer's Assocation, and I started there in nonprofit fundraising as the manager of the Walk to End Alzheimer's and I did that for three and half years. Then, I jumped on a newly created position in Alzheimer's Association community outreach in King County. I felt like I had raised enough money and wanted to actually help those going through the disease. I recently celebrated my six-year anniversary of working at the Alzheimer's Association!
The Memory Hub is proud to have the Alzheimer's Association as a collaborator in offering resources for people living with memory loss and their families. Will you give us an update on how these programs are going?
It's been interesting to see the Caregiver Support Group and the Free Dementia Education program grow. We started small, but in January 2024, we started getting higher attendance. The February session on managing money stand out in my mind. In that class, I talked about legal and financial planning. We had 12 people, the largest audience to date. One participant, whose wife had passed away, wanted to figure some things out before tax season. He asked questions and said, "I wish I knew about this four years ago." We hear this all the time, which is hard. But it's also great when you see people scribbling down notes and asking great questions. We wish that they could have had these resources sooner, but it's also great to see them finally getting the help that they need.
What does it mean to you to be part of the dementia-friendly Memory Hub community?
I hear people's stories about how much it means to them that the Memory Hub is here. One of my favorite things about working at the Memory Hub is just knowing that I'm helping to take some weight off people's shoulders by providing that information and support to them. I love being able to say, yes, there is a community center for those living with dementia. There are a lot of senior centers out there. But someone might not feel comfortable going to a senior center because they don't know if the staff are going to be able to understand and effectively communicate with someone living with dementia. I just think overall, it's such a great place and a safe place for families and those living with dementia. •
