Touchmark at Mt. Bachelor Village is expanding and adding memory care services. As part of its grand-opening activities Tuesday, Oct. 22, it is bringing to Bend a noted author to help people who are caring for a loved one living with a memory loss.
Anne Hill, JD, is the author of Unforgettable Journey: Tips to Survive Your Parent’s Alzheimer’s Disease, now in its second edition. Hill will speak at 3pm at Touchmark, 19800 SW Touchmark Way. There is no charge for the presentation, which is open to the public. To make a reservation, call 541-383-1414. Hill brings personal experience and invaluable expertise to families facing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia in a loved one. “I have written this book for the adult children of those who have all the tips I have, all the things I wish I knew 15 years ago,” says Hill. Following Hill’s presentation, Kristina Barragan, Alzheimer’s Association regional coordinator, will provide some remarks.
From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., the public can tour the new memory care neighborhood as well as expanded residential care (attended living). There will be refreshments, entertainment and door prizes, including a 32-inch Panasonic flat-screen TV, a Bose SoundLink® wireless mobile speaker system and $100 in Old Mill District gift certificates for use at any Old Mill shop, restaurant or movie theater.
“Alzheimer’s is one of the fastest-growing problems facing our nation and its aging population,” explains Kevin R. Smith, Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at OHSU. “[Anne’s] approach, ideas and solutions will be helpful to adult children as they learn to help their parent navigate the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease.
”A retired bank lawyer, Hill is a frequent speaker on the topic of how Alzheimer’s affects families as well as strategies to help families cope with the stresses of having a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. She is participating in the State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease in Oregon (SPADO) Task Force. Hill practiced law for 18 years before retiring in 1996 to care for her children and her mother, who died in 2009 of end-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
“We are excited to welcome Anne Hill as part of our open house activities for our new memory care service,” says Touchmark Executive Vice President Tom Biel. “We are constantly striving to provide the latest information and best support to residents, their families and the broader community.
Adding memory care at Touchmark brings a valuable opportunity to address a growing need and introduce resources for families facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in a loved one.”Touchmark has just completed construction of 32 residences in two memory-care neighborhoods as well as 19 additional attended living homes as part of its residential care services.
Touchmark’s memory care services are certified as a Best Friends™ environment, which is an industry-leading approach developed specifically to care for people with dementia. It is person centered and based on the understanding that personal relationships are supremely important to the well-being of someone living with a dementia disease.
About Touchmark Located along the Deschutes River, Touchmark at Mt. Bachelor Village provides a range of homes and lifestyles. More information is available at
Best Friends™ is a trademark of Health Professions Press, Inc.
