Stoughton Health - Stoughton, 2025 Community Benefits
Addressing the Aging Brain at Stoughton Health
At Stoughton Health, we recognize that dementia and memory loss affect not only individuals, but also families and our wider community. That’s why we are committed to offering education, support, and connection to help people navigate the challenges of an aging brain. Through community talks, screenings, and our Memory Café, we are working to create a dementia-friendly community where people feel seen, supported, and valued.
Education and Awareness: Each year, Stoughton Health hosts four free dementia-focused community talks and four memory screenings in partnership with ADRC Dementia Care Specialists. These offerings provide both practical knowledge and early intervention. Interest has grown steadily with our most recent presentation drawing 30 participants, and screenings regularly fill with waiting lists. Families often share how much they value the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and access services locally in a welcoming setting.
Caring for the Caregivers: Nearly 100 people gathered for an inspiring presentation by Dr. Zorba Paster titled How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others with Dementia. Drawing on both his expertise as a physician and his personal experience as a caregiver to his wife, Dr. Paster offered encouragement and practical tips to those navigating one of life’s most demanding roles. His words underscored a vital truth: caregivers also need care. By providing events like this, Stoughton Health affirms that supporting the aging brain means supporting the entire circle of care.
Memory Café: Where Care Meets Community: Since its start in 2017, the Stoughton Memory Café has become a cornerstone of dementia-friendly support. Meeting monthly, the café provides a safe, social, and engaging environment for individuals with memory loss and their care partners. Activities range from crafts to games, and the atmosphere fosters connection and joy. The impact of Memory Café is best illustrated by the experience of Leona Ehle’s family. For over two years, siblings Carolyn Schultz, Dwayne Strandlie, Lori Turk, and Roger Strandlie attended with their mother. They recall the happiness she felt before each gathering.
“That was my biggest joy, to see the glow in her eyes,” Carolyn shares. “The gleaming just kind of brought up the child in her.”
For the siblings, Memory Café was more than an outing; it was quality time together. Lori notes, “That’s why I think it’s important that family goes, because it’s good for us too.”
Dwayne connected the experience to a tradition from their youth. “It’s back to growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the days of having people over for coffee.”
Through stories like this family’s, it’s clear that Memory Café not only enriches lives but also rekindles a sense of belonging that dementia can so easily erode.
Committed to a Dementia-Friendly Community: Stoughton Health is proud to be a member of the Stoughton Dementia Friendly Coalition. By offering education, caregiver support, and spaces like the Memory Café, we are addressing the aging brain in ways that uplift both individuals and families.
Education and Awareness: Each year, Stoughton Health hosts four free dementia-focused community talks and four memory screenings in partnership with ADRC Dementia Care Specialists. These offerings provide both practical knowledge and early intervention. Interest has grown steadily with our most recent presentation drawing 30 participants, and screenings regularly fill with waiting lists. Families often share how much they value the opportunity to learn, ask questions, and access services locally in a welcoming setting.
Caring for the Caregivers: Nearly 100 people gathered for an inspiring presentation by Dr. Zorba Paster titled How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others with Dementia. Drawing on both his expertise as a physician and his personal experience as a caregiver to his wife, Dr. Paster offered encouragement and practical tips to those navigating one of life’s most demanding roles. His words underscored a vital truth: caregivers also need care. By providing events like this, Stoughton Health affirms that supporting the aging brain means supporting the entire circle of care.
Memory Café: Where Care Meets Community: Since its start in 2017, the Stoughton Memory Café has become a cornerstone of dementia-friendly support. Meeting monthly, the café provides a safe, social, and engaging environment for individuals with memory loss and their care partners. Activities range from crafts to games, and the atmosphere fosters connection and joy. The impact of Memory Café is best illustrated by the experience of Leona Ehle’s family. For over two years, siblings Carolyn Schultz, Dwayne Strandlie, Lori Turk, and Roger Strandlie attended with their mother. They recall the happiness she felt before each gathering.
“That was my biggest joy, to see the glow in her eyes,” Carolyn shares. “The gleaming just kind of brought up the child in her.”
For the siblings, Memory Café was more than an outing; it was quality time together. Lori notes, “That’s why I think it’s important that family goes, because it’s good for us too.”
Dwayne connected the experience to a tradition from their youth. “It’s back to growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the days of having people over for coffee.”
Through stories like this family’s, it’s clear that Memory Café not only enriches lives but also rekindles a sense of belonging that dementia can so easily erode.
Committed to a Dementia-Friendly Community: Stoughton Health is proud to be a member of the Stoughton Dementia Friendly Coalition. By offering education, caregiver support, and spaces like the Memory Café, we are addressing the aging brain in ways that uplift both individuals and families.
