I’d like to congratulate Barry Petersen, journalist, Emmy-award-winning CBS news correspondent, and bestselling author of the book Jan’s Story, for receiving a 2011 Edward R. Murrow award for the video feature “Jan’s Story” on the CBS Morning Show. You can view this segment and many other informative and helpful media pieces here. Both the book and the video detail Barry's heartbreaking experience of being a young spouse of a wife with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. I commend Barry for sharing his poignant story in his desire to educate and support others who are going through similar challenges.

I first met Barry and his significant other, Mary Nell, at our CPI International Instructors’ Conference last summer. It has been my great pleasure to get to know them and to work with them as advocates for issues related to Alzheimer’s care and support. They are trailblazers as they bring greater attention to the need for more support and education for caregivers and for issues concerning early-onset dementia.

On November 9, Barry Petersen will be the keynote speaker at the Memories Lost and Found luncheon held by the Alzheimer’s Women’s Auxiliary for Research and Education (AWARE) in Colorado. I will be attending the event, and I look forward to continuing to grow our network of Alzheimer’s care advocates. From having heard Barry keynote at our CPI conference last summer, I am certain that this presentation will be moving and powerful. If you live in the area, please consider attending. You can learn more here.

Also, if you are planning to attend the AOTA 2011 Specialty Conference on Adult Cognition in St. Louis at the end of October, I will see you there!