The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute Regional Milwaukee Office’s annual event, “Breaking the Silence: Addressing Dementia in Communities of Color,” marked its 10th anniversary with a sold-out performance of “Mama’s Girls,” a play spotlighting family caregivers by playwright Garrett Davis. Held on April 27 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s Vogel Hall-Wilson Theater in Milwaukee, the event drew a crowd of more than 300 attendees, bringing together community members for a national play depicting how one family responds when their beloved mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. During the intermission of the performance, a panel of speakers discussed their experiences as caregivers to a person living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Gail Morgan, who participated in the panel discussion, is a senior outreach specialist for WAI. She was also a caregiver for her mother, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the isolation of caregiving became even more pronounced, she said.
“It’s an experience that is pretty much never ending,” she said. “It’s a very long day and a very long night. There were many times that I did not sleep at all.” The caregivers recommended seeking support from family and friends, finding ways to practice respite and self-care, learning meal prep and personal care strategies from experts, and learning to “speak the language” of health care providers and social workers to better advocate and provide care for a family member or loved one.
The Breaking the Silence event is held in recognition of national Minority Health Month. Details about the event and links to past event presentations are posted on the event webpage.
Next: We’re continuing to celebrate 10 years of Breaking the Silence events this summer with a series of three community workshops. Join us! Find details on our event page.
