Lecture will detail ways to create a dementia-friendly island
Published 2:40 pm Wednesday, September 10, 2025
The Vashon Care Network will host the third annual Christine Jovanovich Memorial Seminar from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, at 16100 115th Avenue SW.
The annual seminar honors islander Christine Jovanovich, a longtime practitioner of home health care and one of the driving forces behind a now-thriving network of other caregivers on the island. Jovanovich died in 2023.
This year’s guest speaker will be Katie Zeitler, who is the program manager for the Dementia Friends program at the University of Washington’s Memory and Brain Wellness Center.
Her lecture, “Taking the Stigma Out of Memory Loss,” will include information about the most common types and early warning signs of dementia, how to keep our brains healthy, and simple actions to help create a more dementia-friendly community.
The topic has particular significance to Vashon and is directly related to the work of the Vashon Care Network, said organizers.
“We are engaging with family caregivers through our weekly support group and in conversations with paid caregivers who describe the physical and mental toll of 24/7 caregiving for loved ones,” said Vashon Care Network board member Tory Haynes.
Vashon has a significantly aging population, with a median age of almost 52 and almost 30% of its residents 65 years and older — more than double the percentage for King County as a whole.
“As one of King County’s largest aging populations, learning together about how to be a dementia-friendly community is a proactive response to our aging future,” said Carol Spangler, a volunteer for the Care Network.
Zeitler will bring both compassion and a wealth of knowledge to her lecture, Spangler ger said, gleaned from her work with people living with dementia and their caregivers in different capacities since 2013.
With a varied background in direct patient care, public health, and nonprofit work, Zeitler currently serves on the Dementia Action Collaborative’s Public Awareness and Community Readiness subcommittee. Her professional interests align with the goals of the Dementia Friends program, which include spreading awareness about dementia, reducing the surrounding stigma, and creating inclusive spaces for people living with dementia.
Dementia Friends is a global movement that aims to change the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, Dementia Friends now partners with organizations in communities in 25 countries.
“Everyone in a dementia-friendly community — from grocery store clerks to bank tellers to bus drivers — has a basic understanding about dementia and how to be supportive,” said Zeitler. “Community spaces such as libraries, recreational facilities and senior centers offer programs that are accessible to persons with dementia and their families. As a result, people with memory loss and their loved ones feel respected, remain connected and participate confidently in community life.”
The UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center provides comprehensive resources in support of persons with dementia and their loved ones — expanding on the idea that there is life beyond a dementia diagnosis.
Hayes believes Vashon is the kind of place that can give community members who have been diagnosed with dementia — and their caregivers — a better quality of life that includes the prospect of joy in the midst of challenges.
“It takes a special community to embrace, celebrate and support friends and neighbors living with cognitive decline,” said Haynes.
Admission to the lecture on Sept. 21 is free, with donations to Vashon Care Network gratefully accepted. Find out more about Dementia Friends at depts.washington.edu/mbwc. Learn more about and donate to Vashon Care Network at vashoncarenetwork.org.
