ABOUT
Greetings unto you my friend! My name is Dr. Debra Tann, and for the past seven years, I have committed my life’s work to the advocacy of Alzheimer’s and related dementias. My calling is to educate, empower, and encourage those in our community and at-large. Reminiscent is the name of the business. Why the name Reminiscent you may ask? Operationally defined, it is an awakening of memories of something similar; suggestive (usually followed by of); her afro is reminiscent of the 1970s. The word reminiscent is an adjective. Individuals living with dementia often reminiscence or find themselves reminiscent of their past. Often they are comfortable in their past; so they may live in a reminiscent state of mind. While the name is germane, the subtleness of its sound is befitting to our mission. Reminiscent is a 501(C)3.
My Story…Could easily be your story…
A family member had dementia! When a diagnosis is given you simply do not know what to do, what to think, where to go, or what to say. Seemingly, when a doctor provides melancholic medical news such as Cancer, they generally sit with you, they may even hold your hand, provide Kleenex for your tears/nose, offer any optimistic medical advances, and provide morale and support. Additionally, you often leave the office with written materials to read about your medical condition and options. Typically the experience is the antithesis with a dementia diagnosis. When you leave the doctor’s office with a dementia diagnosis; what extensive information are you told? Are you medically guided? What are the next steps? Any resources provided unto you? Most importantly, how did you feel and how were you comforted? In my book entitled The Race of Dementia; my opening chapter deals with the many questions I pondered and how they were laced with no answers. My grandmother and my mother offered me no explanation other than my great-grandmother was “senile.” Unbeknownst to myself at the time, my great-grandmother, was experiencing what I now believe to be Alzheimer’s dementia. During this not so long ago era and perhaps even now, people quickly conclude one is either senile or crazy when it comes to dementia. Neither of the two words accurately describes a person living with the illness. Join me in the discovery of dementia and let me be the first to tell you; dementia is not a disease!
Dr. Tann’s Dementia Bio
BOOK PUBLICATION
The Race of Dementia 9/2020
CERTIFICATION & LICENSURE
Human Subjects Research: Biomedical & Social Behavioral 10/2022
AFA Certified Memory Screener 10/2022
Dementia Friendly Champion 11/2020
Dementia Virtual Tour Facilitator Evidenced Based Dementia Second Wind Dreams 1/2020
Becoming Dementia Aware Positive Approach to Care Teepa Snow 11/2019
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Georgia State Capitol Advocacy (dementia) Day 3/01/2023
Senior Center VLPR “Beat the Holiday Blues” 12/16/2022
Langdale Place “The Virtual Dementia Tour” 11/16/2022
AKA’s of Tampa, FL Chapter “Caregiver Tips” 11/11/2022
Valdosta Rotary Club 10/19/2022
Professional Development Langdale Place 10/11/2022
“Calling All Voices” 09/19/2022
Red Hat Society 09/15/2022
Capitol Hill (DC) Alzheimer’s Congressional Forum (AIM) 5/16-18/2022
Learning in Retirement (VSU) Dementia 101 4/26/2022
Lou-Helen Training Center CNA Program, Engaging with Dementia 3/4/2022
Georgia State University Faculty/Lecturer Gerontology Department 1/11/2022
Senior Health Care Professionals Group 12/14/2021
The Virtual Dementia Tour Hospice South Georgia/Langdale Hospice House 11/12 &19/2021
Understanding the Agitation Narrative: A Multistakeholder Dialogue “From Where I Sit: Insights from the AAD Community” 10/2021
12th International Conference on Dementia & Dementia Care “Consummate Caregiver” Amsterdam, Netherlands 8/2021
Concerned Clergy of Valdosta: Dementia 101 7/2021
The Race of Dementia” Book Discussion 3/2021
Veteran’s Day Caregiving Summit 11/2020
TRAININGS
Georgia Advocacy Training 2/2023
Georgia’s Legislative State Public Policy Priorities 10/2022
AFTD (Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration) Onboard Training 7/2021
Dementia-Friendly Community Evaluation Guide 5/2021
The Equity in Neuroscience and Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials 5/2021
BrainGuide 3/2021
Caring for Those Who Care 3/2021
Better Brain Health through Equity: Addressing Health and Economic Disparities in Dementia for African Americans and Latinos 3/2021
Alzheimer’s Congressional Team Member (Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, AIM) 5/2020
Georgia General Assembly Alzheimer’s Association Advocacy Day 2/2020
Fearless Caregiver 11/2019 – Social Media 2-2020 – In our Right Minds 2/2020
WEBINARS/CONFERENCES
Dementia Action Alliance “Living Well With Dementia” Conference 9/2022
Social Justice: Clinical Research & Dementia Care in Multicultral America 5/2022
FTD: Connection. Learn. Engage. 4/2022
New Bloom, Educational forum with individuals living with dementia 3/2022
Addressing Health Disparities 6/2021
Find Help, Share Hope: AFTD’s Education Conference 5/2021
Living the Grief of FTD: The Winding Paths of Loss and Resilience Mary O’Hara, LCSW 11/2020
USAgainstAlzheimer’s National Summit 10/2020
Black Lives Matter in Research Dr. Jonathan Jackson, MGH Care Research Center 9/2020
Alzheimer’s 2020: Advocating on the Campaign Trial 7/2020
Rural Caregivers Conference: Finding the Hidden Treasures 7/2020
Self-Care, Mindfulness, and Remaining Positive Corey Esannason 4/2020
Ask the Expert-FTD Dr. Bruce Miller 4/2020
AFFILIATIONS (not an exhaustive listing)
Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
UGA College of Public Health (CARE Center)
Us Against Alzheimer’s DAWN Method Women Against Alzheimer’s The A-List
Dementia Matters Balm in Gilead Alzheimer’s Society Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Friends
Dementia Action Alliance Dementia Friendly America BrightFocus Foundation AARP
AIM (Alzheimer’s Impact Movement) GARD (Georgia Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias) AFTD (The Association for Frontotemporal Dementia)
Reimagining Dementia Alter Program A Journey with Dementia Minds
Dementia Friends Georgia ALZAuthors
CONGRESSIONAL & LOCAL CORRESPONDENCES FOR ADVOCACY
Valdosta Daily Times Guest Columnist “ENACT Bill” 8/21/2021
From: Senator Jon Ossoff (Assigned to by AIM)
Letter Topics: The CHANGE Act and Paid Family Leave for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Valdosta Daily Times, Letter to the Editor entitled “Promoting Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Awareness to Dissuade Elder Abuse.” (Gov. Kemp signed into law 7-2020)