[NEW EPISODE] MAY - Spring Into Resources and Awareness with ADRC

Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

They will learn all about the free and wonderful services we provide to Long Island families. We are an amazing resource and want more folks to be aware of our services.

Lauren Vlachos is the ED for the ADRC. Before joining ADRC in March 2022, Lauren served as the COO for the Suffolk County Boy Scouts. Lauren worked for the Scouts for 18 years serving youth throughout Long Island. Before joining the Scouts, Lauren served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer for 2.5 years in Niger, West Africa. Lauren earned a BA from Gettysburg College, MS from The New School, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive as well as a Master Gardener. She has 3 kids, 3 pets, and lives in West Islip.

Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

Show Notes

‍Segment 1

Tommy D initiates the show by presenting himself as the non-profit sector connector and introducing his esteemed guest, Lauren Vlachos, along with highlighting her organization's upcoming event. Lauren elaborates on her organization's endeavors and forthcoming event, emphasizing their significance. Tommy underscores the importance of Lauren's work and its impact. Lauren delves into her background and the journey that led her to her current vocation. Tommy D underscores the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance in one's professional pursuits.    

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Segment 2

Tommy D commences the segment by acknowledging Lauren's professional title and enumerating her numerous accomplishments. Engaging in a conversation with Lauren, Tommy explores her extracurricular interests and elucidates how they intersect with her professional endeavors. Lauren elaborates on the resource center facilitated by her organization, delineating the process through which individuals seek assistance for their loved ones. She shares poignant anecdotes illustrating the impact of her organization's work on individuals and families.  

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Segment 3

Tommy D initiates the segment by recounting his recent visit to Lauren's organization's headquarters, sharing anecdotes and observations from the experience. Drawing parallels to the late Robin Williams, Tommy explores the resonance between the organization's mission and the renowned actor's legacy. Lauren delves into the connection between Robin Williams and her organization, shedding light on the impact of dementia and dispelling misconceptions surrounding the disease. She elaborates on the roles and responsibilities of her staff in supporting the community affected by dementia.

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Segment 4

Tommy D commences the final segment of the show by emphasizing the significance of pursuing one's dreams and passions. He proceeds to highlight an upcoming event hosted by Lauren's organization, along with mentioning her website for further information. Lauren elaborates on the details of the upcoming event and mentions another event scheduled for May. Tommy D concludes the show by expressing gratitude to Lauren for the opportunity to engage with her organization, and they reiterate her website as a resource for those interested. 

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Transcript

00:00:42.040 --> 00:00:51.649 Tommy DiMisa: the boys back. Philanthropy of focus, the nonprofit sector coming at you nonprofit sector connector coming at you from my attic 2 flights up in the kitchen.

00:00:51.650 --> 00:01:15.650 Tommy DiMisa: It's funny when you think about being the nonprofit sector connector. Well, I think about it. It's funny when I think about because the coffee cup I have is from rise in spirit, which is a combination of rise, life services and spirit of Huntington Heart Center. They bought the building as a new entity. Rise in spirit. I'm drinking my coffee mug there Allied physicians group shout out to Allied foundation, my friend heather. My friend Heather Edwards, right

00:01:15.950 --> 00:01:43.169 Tommy DiMisa: I this purple shirt that I'm rocking this morning gang. If you can't see it, I'm telling you. If you're only listening, I'm closing my eyes as I tell you this, I'm wearing a purple shirt, and it's from my friends over at options for cui community living. Tommy, you better slow down, Kit, so you can speak more clearly. I wanna tell you what it says on the back of this shirt. But I wore purple because purple and light blue, apparently other colors of A. DRC. Alzheimer's Disease Center. My guest.

00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:57.199 Tommy DiMisa: Lauren Vlcos, is here, Lauren, before I try to find out what it says on the back of my shirt, because obviously, I took it on a different camera or phone, or whatever. Let's say good morning. How are you? What's going on? Good morning, Tommy. I'm doing well, how are you doing today?

00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:26.700 Tommy DiMisa: I'm alright, man. I'm okay or not. Not, kid did not at all. I'm fired up, man, you know this. No, you said something the other day to me like, Hey, I'm just excited. It was. Maybe it's on social media, and you like. I'm excited for you to bring your energy, so I will do the best I can. I will try to elevate a little bit. I'll try to elevate. Well, here's what it says on the back of this shirt, Lauren. It says. I thought this would be a cool place to just maybe frame our conversation. Maybe not. Let's see, on the back of this purple shirt from office for community living. It says.

00:02:27.100 --> 00:02:54.980 Tommy DiMisa: resilience. The process of adapting well, in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. It means bouncing back from difficult experiences. You know. I bet there's a lot of those conversations that go on amongst the community at Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center. So resilience is certainly something we all need, and I have 4 children, as you know. And in raising these 4 children I'm constantly saying, Man, let's go.

00:02:55.030 --> 00:03:16.319 Tommy DiMisa: Let's go. Let's go pick it up. Let's get right back after it. Let's get back at it, and you know whether it be an athletic endeavor, or I will say one of my children told me about their grades, so I'm not gonna call out who it is but one of my 4 their grades. And this individual mentioned some grades, and I was like, well, everything sounds awesome but I'm wondering

00:03:16.330 --> 00:03:38.520 Tommy DiMisa: why why we can't get those 88 s. And 89 s. And 92 s. And 90 threes. And what would be the differentiator. What would be, you know, and I was not disappointed. They did incredibly well with these grades, and I was just saying, Yo, maybe it is an area opportunity. Maybe we can accelerate and elevate a little bit. You know I wasn't disappointed. I was just curious, you know. I think it's all about curiosity, Lauren.

00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:58.629 Tommy DiMisa: So talk about curiosity, Lauren. I'm gonna do something that maybe you didn't expect me to do. But I'm going to read an email. You sent me right here. Live. And it says like this, Hi, what are you doing? March fourteenth, I need you. I'm hosting an education Conference, and I need an Mc. Thinking of. Who do I know with a fabulous personality, and guess who came to mind?

00:03:58.630 --> 00:04:09.740 Tommy DiMisa: I guess you were thinking about me for that role, and you pull me out. And you you asked me to do it. And that's why you're here again on the show to talk about this event coming up. Obviously, what your organization does.

00:04:10.160 --> 00:04:23.720 Tommy DiMisa: but also specifically to that event. So what's going on, my friend? I miss hanging out with you. I'm excited. I'm going to see you next week, when we go for our kind of walk through of the event and the whole thing. How are you? I'm doing good. I'm excited. Thank you for having me today.

00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:37.110 Lauren Vlachos: So yeah, our organization is gonna host, an education conference. It's gonna take place on Thursday, March fourteenth, at Stonybrook University. It's all gonna take place, though, in one building, which is the student activity center.

00:04:37.180 --> 00:05:02.030 Lauren Vlachos: And we have an amazing day plan for our guests. And so the conference is really geared toward 2 audiences, Tommy, those who are caregivers. Maybe they're taking care of a loved one now, and they're looking for resources and support, and those who are professional caregivers who are actually in the industry, supporting families and helping to take care of loved ones. And so a a wonderful day has been planned for those folks. We're gonna start in the morning around 9

00:05:02.030 --> 00:05:21.440 Lauren Vlachos: Am. Breakfast. A lot of networking. We have a lot of vendors who are going to be on site, sharing their resources and their services with the community. So if an individual is looking for some resources, or just want to really know more about the journey that they're going to be on. If their loved one does have cognitive client. This is the place today.

00:05:21.440 --> 00:05:46.400 Lauren Vlachos: Yeah, it's gonna be awesome. And then we we actually have a caregiver panel. So we have individuals, 5 of them who are gonna really speak about their experience. And they come from different walks of life, and they're taking care of different individuals. You know. One individual is taking care of their spouse, but another individual is taking care of their mother. One individual is taking care of 2 of her family members who are impacted by dementia. And so again, their stories. They're gonna share with us

00:05:46.400 --> 00:06:12.010 Lauren Vlachos: with us, and the the underlying theme of most of their stories, Tommy, are is that you can't do it alone. It's just too overwhelming to take care of someone without having some kind of support system in place. And that's a lot of what the conference is. Gonna offer a lot of these folks as well. After the caregiver panel. We have amazing breakout sessions. So folks are gonna be able to choose a different workshop that they would like to attend. We have 5 different ones.

00:06:12.710 --> 00:06:39.710 Lauren Vlachos: And again, really, what are what are their interests? Do they need to learn a little bit more about like the financial planning and and legal information to make sure that they have their own ducks in a row, and their family member does. We have a program on Montessori approaches so normally. You might think Montessori all right, children, but no, someone with cognitive decline. You could set up your home in a Montessori way, and it allows them to have a lot more independence for a longer period of time.

00:06:39.780 --> 00:06:44.769 Tommy DiMisa: you know, just making things accessible. Go ahead. Yeah, I just want, you know, like

00:06:45.150 --> 00:06:56.720 Tommy DiMisa: we're gonna get into the resource center as an organization shortly and and really kind of frame that you know, it's what's coming up for me right now is a Co. A couple of ideas, and one is

00:06:57.980 --> 00:07:04.159 Tommy DiMisa: self-care is not selfish gang. So if you are a caregiver, please be mindful that you must take care of yourself.

00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:28.569 Tommy DiMisa: It is, and it's funny. I didn't know I'd say this on the show, but it's funny I was. I was goofing about something I said about when the oxygen mask falls from the sky in the plane, and they say, you know, put on your oxygen mask first, and look, that's become cliche. But guess what a lot of things are cliches, because it's real and like, if you don't take care of yourself, you are useless for anybody else, and we only have so much capacity and bandwidth as human beings.

00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:44.889 Tommy DiMisa: So be mindful of when you kinda need your own break, and you need to step away, and you need that. That respite. A a. And II hope and I imagine, and if not as well, because I'm the Mc. I might get to sneak in a question or 2 to the panel and find out about you know.

00:07:44.950 --> 00:08:01.939 Tommy DiMisa: W. What does that look like? You know. How can I find a respite and self care? Because. you know. obviously no one plans quote unquote for having a a family member, or even yourself having a cognitive disability or any disability, for that matter, right?

00:08:02.190 --> 00:08:28.899 Tommy DiMisa: So life was going on. And then this situation happened. It wasn't like he was running a business, or she was running a a law firm, or would that? And and all of a sudden this. This entered into their lives right? It was not a strategy for. Well, let's strike that. Maybe there's strategy for. And I think that some of the stuff we're gonna learn. But it was not a an an expectation that this was going to happen. Now. It is a

00:08:28.900 --> 00:08:41.660 Tommy DiMisa: disruption in someone's life. It could be a disruption in their livelihood. And what do you do? Right? So a lot of that, I think, is what we're gonna cover at at the at the event which is March fourteenth

00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:58.900 Tommy DiMisa: at Stony Brook University Student Activity Center. We're gonna talk more about it in the as the show goes on this morning. But I felt like it was important to just bring those pieces up. Take care of yourselves, folks, so you could take care of other people. Put on your oxygen mask in reality, or just in.

00:08:59.260 --> 00:09:10.939 Tommy DiMisa: you know, in reference to that. Be be mindful to take care of yourselves. II have to remind myself. I mean, you know what we all have to, because this is a silly reference, but you know what I think it proves it.

00:09:10.950 --> 00:09:13.649 Tommy DiMisa: Do you remember the show full house?

00:09:13.880 --> 00:09:21.450 Tommy DiMisa: Right? So, which is our our error. You and me right. That's our era, and Uncle Jesse played by John Stamel, who I?

00:09:21.670 --> 00:09:37.919 Tommy DiMisa: Good looking fella, I know he was a heart throb. II don't know if he's still a heart throb, but I know, like you know, he was. I think it was a soap app soap opera actor, and then he was on Full house. Uncle Jesse, Uncle Jesse Kitsopolis. I remember this episode and stands out for me. I didn't know what I'd ever bring it up like this. But

00:09:37.950 --> 00:10:00.870 Tommy DiMisa: Uncle Jesse would do this thing, and it'd be like, you know, Dj. Would need something. He's like, I got you, babe, and then Michelle would need something. He's like, I got you, Babe, and then Danny Taylor would need something. Danny. What's his name? Danny Taylor? He's not the guy that Danny right? He would need some, and Uncle Joey would need something. And, Eddie, I got you, Babe. I got you, Babe. I got you, Babe, and he's got the band, Jesse, in the well, or like rocking out right.

00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:07.299 Tommy DiMisa: I got you, babe. And then all of a sudden, like 12 min into this 26 min episode of the show. He's toast.

00:10:07.460 --> 00:10:22.799 Tommy DiMisa: He doesn't have anybody, man. He doesn't have Jesse. He's not looking out for himself, and like that was like the thing that I remember that, you know. I'm probably 12 at the time watching that show. But now, at 46, many, many years later. I still remember that ridiculous episode.

00:10:23.420 --> 00:10:42.940 Tommy DiMisa: Alright, I guess it's ridiculous that I remember. That episode is better way to say it. But the point is, it resonated because it was telling it was a telling story that, like you can't do it all. You can't be superman, super woman. So find that time to take care of yourself and and kind of set some boundaries right. I mean, have you found that in in your experience, as

00:10:43.290 --> 00:10:50.330 Tommy DiMisa: you know, as a leader of your organization, or even the work you've done, you know, with Boy Scouts in the past, I mean. Why don't let's use that as

00:10:50.470 --> 00:10:59.250 Tommy DiMisa: frame it. Who you are, Laura, because for some people they never heard you on my show before, although you are a returning champion on on phone.

00:10:59.270 --> 00:11:08.059 Tommy DiMisa: So let's set a little bit of that, and and how how that lands upon you. Wanna talk about full house more. We could do that. I don't tell me about that.

00:11:08.420 --> 00:11:19.670 Lauren Vlachos: Well, you even started talking about resilience as well. So my background is, I actually was a Us. Peace Corps volunteer. So I spent almost 3 years in West Africa. And

00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:42.930 Lauren Vlachos: no, I just saw the people there were so resilient Tommy and the fact that they were incredibly humble as well. After that experience. You're right. I worked for the Boy Scouts of America, and we. We were constantly educating youth on leadership, development and and the importance of taking care of themselves, being resilient and kind of being a leader in that as well. If other people see us take care of themselves than they do

00:11:42.930 --> 00:12:05.430 Lauren Vlachos: now in my current role. You know I oversee the staff, and again they see that I take time for myself. I go to Yoga. I'm into gardening. I'll leave early if my kids have an you know an event or an activity or something, because life is short, and you know you have to make time to to do all those things. And you know, I was listening to a podcast yesterday. And it's like our, our.

00:12:05.430 --> 00:12:30.119 Lauren Vlachos: our, you know, our home life shouldn't be just 50, and work is 50%, like things should be in quarters like your health is a quarter, you know, taking care of your health, eating well, exercising your work is a quarter, you know, having purpose enjoying the work that you do. Your family is a quarter. You know. You have 4 kids. I have 3. I'm sure you have some pets thrown in there, too. Rescue dog! We do have one Cheeto. That's like I have 2 dogs. I got a cat

00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:59.389 Tommy DiMisa: that is like a whole menagerie going on. We do another show. Professionals and animal lovers show, and I really would think I could like cats, but the I'm allergic like stupid allergic to cats, and they make me sneeze, and I like scratch the back of my. I kinda look like that. They make me out. My point is II don't know what my point is now. My point is, I would like to have a cat, but your quarters. I like what you're going where you're going with that like living in quarters. I told somebody the other day.

00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:14.790 Tommy DiMisa: Do you remember when, like people used to say, well, you know, you're gonna do this job or this career. And then you retire. And then BA, BA, and then this happens right so. And I think this is relevant to the work you do, too, because.

00:13:15.880 --> 00:13:31.470 Tommy DiMisa: first of all, I don't actually see myself ever doing nothing which is like retirement. Seems like doing nothing right? So like II do like to play golf, but like I don't wanna play it that much. But like so I made a point where what I like to do is, I retire like every week

00:13:31.670 --> 00:13:38.530 Tommy DiMisa: for a little bit of time. Right? So it it when when you were talking about these quarters and stuff like that. I have a lot to say what you commented on.

00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:44.570 Tommy DiMisa: When you talk about these quarters. It's like having these little segments of your life like, instead of like

00:13:44.650 --> 00:13:51.860 Tommy DiMisa: crushing it, let's say, into like 9,100 120 HA week, for like 35 years.

00:13:51.910 --> 00:13:59.289 Tommy DiMisa: Why not like stretch that work life out like longer and like live while you're working right and not like

00:13:59.520 --> 00:14:18.640 Tommy DiMisa: that. We went to the Intrepid. Yesterday I told you in the break before we got started we went to the Intrepid. Yes, that was a trip man. I hadn't been to the intrepid in pro like, literally like 35 years, like, I didn't even know how long the intrep I was like, yeah, I was telling the my kids. Because I before the day started, I did not really have a concept whole thing. I was like, Yeah,

00:14:18.750 --> 00:14:43.040 Tommy DiMisa: yeah, this aircraft carrier's been there for like a hundred years. Well, it hadn't been there for like a hundred years. It's been there since like 1982, and because a hundred years ago. It was like probably didn't exist because it was a World war. 2 aircraft carrier, so probably wasn't even built yet, but a man who didn't wanna see it go to the scrapyard. The Intrepid was on its way to the scrap yard right? That he didn't wanna see that. So he

00:14:43.040 --> 00:14:58.729 Tommy DiMisa: made a nonprofit, of course, made a nonprofit organization, and it's a museum. And it's incredible museum. And there's there's a space shuttle there. Space shuttle enterprises there like what a trip man like this is stuff that like, maybe when we were kids, we weren't digging. I don't think I was digging. I don't think I realized it.

00:14:58.730 --> 00:15:19.839 Tommy DiMisa: But you know what a great opportunity to connect with my children in a retirement mode. Right? I retired for about 19 h yesterday on a Thursday midweek right? And we went in. Learn how one of my daughters totally digs history, and you know I sort of knew but I wasn't like didn't have a keen awareness how she dig in history. She loves learning about this stuff.

00:15:19.930 --> 00:15:31.819 Tommy DiMisa: and I'm like, Wow! What an experience! Right now! A whole lifetime could go past. And you don't have these experiences right? We're gonna talk about memory. We're gonna talk about memories. Ironically. Somebody had Spray painted something

00:15:32.190 --> 00:15:50.190 Tommy DiMisa: on the street on the on the sidewalk, on my walk over from the parking garage, which we'll have to remember to get that I'll pull it out on my phone, something about memories. And I think it's relevant for what we're gonna talk about today. I just wanna go back. And I there was this, there was a line you made. Then we'll can you make a comment and then we'll go to a quick break. But

00:15:51.420 --> 00:15:57.309 Tommy DiMisa: this is a leadership comment you made that, I think, is incredibly important that leaders need to hear.

00:15:58.310 --> 00:16:03.400 If other people see you take care of yourself, they will do the same as what you said

00:16:03.590 --> 00:16:04.560 Tommy DiMisa: gang.

00:16:04.910 --> 00:16:23.920 Tommy DiMisa: It's one thing, for you know. Oh, look at me! I showed up here to the the office at 6 30. I had my lunch at my desk. I barely moved. I had to use the restroom, but I just stayed at my desk for 40 min, even while I still had to go to the restroom, but I was like, Oh, I'm gonna muscle through this right. And then I left at 7, 45 at night, having put in, you know, a long day.

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:38.030 Tommy DiMisa: Right? Okay, that's one way to teach people to do things. Another way is in practice to take care of yourself. Self-love maybe step up and actually leave your desk and have that meal go for a walk around the building. I call my mother that first day of spring. Whatever I go.

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:58.430 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, it's beautiful out. I say, do yourself a favorite. Have your lunch outside. Go for a walk around the building, get away from your desk right. It's just the thing I for her. Specifically, I feel like I make that move. That's what it is that to me is leadership. Lauren. What do you say on that before we go to a break. I agree with you. That's easy. Let's go to break Tommy D. And Lauren right back.

00:19:05.490 --> 00:19:29.799 Tommy DiMisa: from the kitchen to get up here. Don't worry about me, man. I had a bunch of coffee. Alright, so my guest, Lauren Blockles is the executive director and CEO of Ad. Rc. Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center. As we talked about a little bit in the first

00:19:29.800 --> 00:19:47.220 Tommy DiMisa: segment there, Lauren was a CEO for Suffolk County Boy Scouts. She served in the United States Peace Corps as a volunteer in Niger, West Africa, earned her BA. From Gettysburg College, her Ms. From the new school. And here's a one that, too, that stand out for me in this

00:19:47.220 --> 00:20:05.159 Tommy DiMisa: certified fundraising executives. Cfr. E. Right? Is that that's the title there. I I've been taken by that because I see I've met some people over the years that have had that designation, and I know it's a very important designation in our field. I wanna hear a little bit about that. But I also this one that that really hopefully, we can get to talk about today.

00:20:05.170 --> 00:20:22.679 Tommy DiMisa: Laura's also Master Gardener. Now, is that a certification? Or did you decide like some people go out and say, Hey, man, I'm a Master Connector like, did you come up with Tech? No, you can take the course through Cornell cooperative extension. And so it's like a 17 week class. And you. You know you learn all different

00:20:22.680 --> 00:20:47.059 Lauren Vlachos: things about gardening and trees and plants, and then you get you have to do so many community service hours. You have to do an action project, and then you get certified by Cornell. And then you're supposed to continue to give actually, a lot of master gardeners and continue to work at some of the community gardens. They'll do projects for schools and continue to give community hours back to to self accounty or Nassau county depending on where you're a master gardener. I'm I'm here in Suffolk County.

00:20:47.060 --> 00:20:57.710 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I never know how these conversations are gonna go. Because, basically, like, I say to most people, this show is is my guest, and I having a cup of coffee together, literally and figuratively. But it's like

00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:02.249 Tommy DiMisa: that to me, is what it pulls on strings in my mind is going.

00:21:02.590 --> 00:21:27.530 Tommy DiMisa: So she's a master gardener, and she runs. This organization has gardening played into the work you're doing, or how can gardening play into the work that you're doing with the people and families that the organization is supported? So even back to your first segment, gardening for me is like my self care. I love like, but you know I've turned half my backyard into a garden. I grow all my own berries. I make my own jams.

00:21:27.530 --> 00:21:52.230 Tommy DiMisa: No, you're like you're like pioneer woman. I love man. Homesteading is back. I've heard, too. II didn't know what's going on on Long Island, though with those people. Look, you know what II was watching. It's funny. Say, Laura Ingalls, because the other day I'm flipping through the channels, and I see Michael Michael Landon

00:21:52.230 --> 00:22:06.510 Tommy DiMisa: on on. Whatever happened. It looked like everybody had COVID-19 on the show all of a sudden, because they were like whatever it was, some kind of pandemic, and they were. Michael in it was running back and forth, and it was like, couldn't see his family because he had been exposed, or whatever.

00:22:06.510 --> 00:22:11.070 Tommy DiMisa: And I was like yo man, I said to my wife, and it's funny cause she owes me a long time.

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:35.679 Tommy DiMisa: I said to her, Oh, man, that looks like such an easier time. She's like, are you kidding me? If you wanna work on a farm to be like, seriously. And I'm like, that's not exactly the part I'm talking about, like the part I'm talking about like there's no phones. There's no 900 emails to catch up on. There's just like it was just simpler time, and I wouldn't know any better. So if my thing was, I gotta I gotta hammer in this post, and I gotta go milk the cows or whatever my bag was. I?

00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:41.540 You have to do it. You didn't know any better. So anyway, people are going back in time a little bit with that stuff. Right?

00:22:41.820 --> 00:22:56.549 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I think they are but I've I've always garden. It's funny. I have a dream for like a garden, but like you know, like a very serene like garden, with like

00:22:56.550 --> 00:23:16.039 Tommy DiMisa: maybe like hanging trees and stuff like that, like where you can go mellow out you go to self, care again where somewhere you can go, sit and meditate. There's this place up in the Poconos, where there's this little house and the houses across a bridge, and it's right off a camel back mountain. And when we go up to Camelback and we're driving back. We always see the house and

00:23:16.170 --> 00:23:43.540 Tommy DiMisa: and they go. There's that house. So there's Tiny D's house, because, like, I wanna buy that house and cross over the bridge which the bridge goes over the slow creek or creek, and it goes across there, and it's just like it looks like so mellow like Lauren, like my voice changes like when I think of that place. So anyway, I wanna build a garden. So we gotta talk gardening a offline on another show. Maybe we'll just do another show about gardening. So let's talk about the organization and and really

00:23:43.780 --> 00:23:54.110 Tommy DiMisa: resource center. What does that mean? II mean, I could rip things off the website. I'll let's start with this. Let me just read the mission statement to provide care, support, and educational programs for family need.

00:23:54.120 --> 00:24:11.150 Tommy DiMisa: and to be advocates for local families who are coping with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. When somebody comes to the organization. They've just received this news. Maybe they had suspected this was affecting or f afflicing their family member. And now they know right?

00:24:11.150 --> 00:24:35.359 Lauren Vlachos: So what what happens? How do you receive? Some people don't know Tommy. So we just so. So we just had all these holidays, right? So people went home. They had, you know, holiday dinners with their family. Some people haven't seen, you know, their parents, maybe in a year or so, and now they're like, Hmm, you know, mom seems a little off, or Whoa, you know, Dad seems a little off, and then they contact us because they're actually not sure what to do. They're like, you know. I started noticing these behaviors.

00:24:35.360 --> 00:24:44.770 Lauren Vlachos: You know, this is some of the things that are happening, and they're like, you know, wh. What would be my first step like? What should I do so often. It's, you know, getting them to understand.

00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:47.030 they might need a neurologist

00:24:48.230 --> 00:25:06.809 Lauren Vlachos: or or go to their general practitioner and start really just talking about what is happening in the sense that, you know. Maybe they were an accountant in their career, Tommy. And now they can't balance their checkbook. Those things might be happening in their career. And all of a sudden, some basic fundamental stuff they're having trouble with

00:25:06.810 --> 00:25:31.779 Lauren Vlachos: like logic and reasoning. Or maybe there. We just saw yesterday that Wendy Williams was diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia and aphasia. And what was happening previous to her, you know, kind of coming out in public. She was acting really erratic, I mean, she was saying some crazy stuff. And so she was acting really erratic and crazy, and

00:25:31.780 --> 00:25:53.260 Tommy DiMisa: and doing some crazy things. And at first, you know, people don't really know what that is. They're just like, Oh, you know. Oh, midlife crisis or something. But really what was happening is is that the frontal part of her brain was being attacked by these plaques, and so they really start. Affecting your judgment. They affect your behavior. They affect the filter

00:25:53.260 --> 00:26:08.860 Lauren Vlachos: correct. And so you know again, maybe spending money wildly saying things you know that you wouldn't normally say. And so your family is like, Whoa! Where is this coming from? Like you seem like you're a little off your rocker, you know. And so

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:23.290 Lauren Vlachos: again, people might think there's substance abuse going on. But until you go to the doctor and really start speaking about, you know, this is the way my loved one was. And then almost seems like a switch has happened. And now this is what's happening and going on because it can definitely be something that's happening in the brain.

00:26:23.290 --> 00:26:34.160 Tommy DiMisa: Wow, I it's any. And the thing that I pointed out when you said 59, because you know, in E, even in conversations, you and I've had.

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.359 Tommy DiMisa: You know.

00:26:36.620 --> 00:26:48.650 Tommy DiMisa: these challenges are affecting younger and younger people, and it's coming up. Yeah, I mean, you've can you speak to that a little bit from just, you know, anecdotally stuff you've seen with with families that come to you guys.

00:26:48.650 --> 00:27:13.509 Lauren Vlachos: Yeah. So we definitely, we have one family. The mom. She's has younger onset. Alzheimer's disease and her children are in high school still. Her spouse is in law enforcement, and she's becoming where she can't be left to home alone. You know. She's a danger to herself. Safety concerns things like that. And it, you know, it's a lot even for her children, you know, it's like they're in high school. They want to share all these wonderful memories

00:27:13.510 --> 00:27:42.000 Tommy DiMisa: and experiences with their mom. But she's not really there anymore, Tommy, to be honest. Hug your people now like talk. Now give the log. Give the compassion. Now you're guaranteed nothing but this moment. In time I'm telling you this stuff, and I'm not like yo. I haven't figured it all out, man, I screw up constantly, but I'm just trying to say if you can find that opportunity. You don't know what's later, man, you don't know if there is later. Man like just

00:27:42.750 --> 00:27:47.359 this stuff hits me, Lauren. It's just cause it's it's it's real. It's like, you know.

00:27:47.410 --> 00:27:51.490 Tommy DiMisa: 1 min things are awesome, and the next minute is the next minute. And things have changed, you know.

00:27:51.990 --> 00:28:17.819 Tommy DiMisa: Organizational offer also offers a lot of enrichment programs. So just because someone has a diagnosis, it doesn't mean life is over for that individual. You still love lots of fun. You can still enjoy time with your loved one. You can still make new memories. And so that's a lot about what we do as well. It's not all like, you know. And again, maybe Mo, thank you for that cause. Maybe what I was being was like, you know.

00:28:17.820 --> 00:28:23.640 Tommy DiMisa: Yes, to everything you said, and we gotta live in the moment, too, like have to experience it like

00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:33.689 Tommy DiMisa: this is, this is on the street yesterday. This is like, literally, I'm walking down the street right? You're not. Gonna you might have truck tough time making out, but it's spray painted on the street. It says you never know a good time

00:28:34.170 --> 00:28:35.649 Tommy DiMisa: until it's a memory.

00:28:35.810 --> 00:29:01.599 Tommy DiMisa: And I thought that was very interesting. Spray painted on the street in New York City. You never know a good time until it's a memory like it's it's all you know. I we wanna live in the present. But then, when once it's happened, now, it's a memory, and it's something we can look back to right. We wanna live in the moment, though, as I was saying, anyway, I throw that out there for you all. That might be something relevant to you. Maybe you needed it. I don't think I randomly just walked across that sidewalk and saw that yesterday, so I was supposed to tell the world about it. So

00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:10.409 Tommy DiMisa: you know, you mentioned how there's there's still things folks can do. And there's different activities and all that stuff we're gonna talk about that today. But I remember

00:29:11.530 --> 00:29:22.989 Tommy DiMisa: So our friend Tori Cohen at the Long Island, Long Island, Alzheimer's and dementia Center right different but friendly with us. Right

00:29:23.770 --> 00:29:25.589 Tommy DiMisa: I had the

00:29:26.330 --> 00:29:51.549 Tommy DiMisa: mini horses from horseability pay a visit to Tori, so as in the dayh program they have over there for the individuals they do work with over in Westbury. They have all sorts of programming, you know, and I was like, Listen Tori, I wanna bring the minis in. So we brought the Mini ponies and they're not ponies. Excuse me, the mini horses. They're never gonna be bigger. They're always tiny. This video is mute the mini's are. They're they're just really special

00:29:51.550 --> 00:30:10.729 Tommy DiMisa: but that's there's so many mo, so much programming and so many different things different services that we could provide. We're gonna talk more about that when when we come back. So when we come back, let's talk about the experience the organization's doing. And just some stories. We'll be right back philanthropy and focus. I'm up and down, man, let's just have a good time. We'll be right back

00:32:09.230 --> 00:32:21.969 Tommy DiMisa: My God, I'm doing work behind the scenes. Man! God, I'm like my show is interrupting my show like, how crazy is that man. Let's go, Tommy. Get let's go, kid, get it together, Bab. Alright. So

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:46.660 Tommy DiMisa: yes, good. I'm seeing the note good Lauren and I are doing. I said this couple of weeks ago on the show. I was always like jealous like when Conan O'brien, like they'd go to commercial, and Conan would lean into the guest, and they have like a little chuckle while the rest of us were on the way to Commercial break. And I was like, what are they talking about? You've been there like yo, you wanna grab a slice of pizza after this, or you wanna grab a Heineken after this, like what I was always curious, so they probably doing what Laura and I were just doing in the chat I was like. Listen.

00:32:46.730 --> 00:32:53.609 Tommy DiMisa: there was something I went for a visit to the organization's headquarters, and

00:32:54.100 --> 00:33:06.060 Tommy DiMisa: I actually got like a stone. You have these rocks there that have like words of inspiration, right? Like maybe, like love, or or celebrate, or compassion. Right?

00:33:06.290 --> 00:33:10.599 Tommy DiMisa: And I took 2. I gave one of my wife and

00:33:11.590 --> 00:33:29.390 Tommy DiMisa: We were talking, and I'm just gonna bring it up. We were talking about Robin Williams because I have this. I have this Robin Williams quote that I use all the time. I'm not gonna look it up. I'm just gonna say, everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind

00:33:29.530 --> 00:33:32.060 Tommy DiMisa: always. And

00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:40.420 Tommy DiMisa: I'm very taken by that quote. And wow! It's I'm a little emotional now, but that particular quote

00:33:40.500 --> 00:33:54.869 Tommy DiMisa: is is something that ha! For some reason I have a connection to some Amanda I never met, who was obviously a very, very talented actor and comedian, but had his own battle that he was going through, and when I was talking to you

00:33:54.960 --> 00:34:02.490 Tommy DiMisa: the your organization was at the time. This is probably in the summertime last year. Excuse me, was

00:34:03.050 --> 00:34:04.510 Tommy DiMisa: was showing

00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:09.029 Tommy DiMisa: the film which the film is called spark. So

00:34:09.330 --> 00:34:16.910 Tommy DiMisa: how did you all now, Rob and Williams, for those you don't know had Louie body dementia? But when you told me this I didn't realize.

00:34:17.050 --> 00:34:21.680 Tommy DiMisa: like tragically. You know, Robin Williams took his own life, as we know.

00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:32.120 Tommy DiMisa: But he didn't know he had. This is that right? Yeah. He was struggling to figure out what was going on. He knew that he was slipping, that he was losing his spark.

00:34:32.270 --> 00:34:57.760 Lauren Vlachos: and he was making both the the last movie the night at the Museum 3, and also working on his TV show. And he was just really struggling to remember his lines, tried to remember the line with the scene that he was working on. He was having looping patterns of hallucinations. He his sleep was interrupted, and he had been going to doctors and trying to understand what was happening.

00:34:57.760 --> 00:35:17.639 Lauren Vlachos: And they were. They just weren't kind of giving him definitive answers about what was going on. And right before he ended up dying by suicide. He learned that they wanted to put him in in patient treatment, to really start doing some major scans on his brain to see what was happening. And so I think in the back of his mind, he knew that you know

00:35:17.640 --> 00:35:44.110 Lauren Vlachos: that this was gonna be a Progression Cause. He could see, even within himself, over 10 months. As he was trying to understand what was happening. Like, he was progressing in in the sense of just really kind of losing himself within the disease. And so yes, and what happens is is that even his wife, at the time, you know, he passes away, and they do the biopsy and the coroner, the medical coroner calls her in and says, this is one of the worst cases of Louis dementia that we've ever seen.

00:35:44.210 --> 00:36:09.170 Lauren Vlachos: And so that was a real it finally gave her. You know, the answer was like, Wow! We now have like a name to put. Why all of these things were happening? Because the Louis by dementia just doesn't affect the individual who who who has the disease is affecting everyone around them. If Robin wasn't getting sleep, then his wife, Susan, wasn't getting sleep when he's in, you know a looping hallucination pattern, you know. It's the wife who is there who's trying to calm him down? Be like that's not really

00:36:09.170 --> 00:36:32.910 Lauren Vlachos: happening like Come, and when someone's caught in a loop he can't really snap them out of it, you know it's really hard to bring him back until they kind of come back in at themselves. And the frustrating thing, probably for Robin was that he did have moments of clarity. He had moments where he knew that something is wrong, you know, when he was really struggling so. Yes, we have access to a documentary that was put together by his widow Susan.

00:36:32.910 --> 00:36:55.900 Lauren Vlachos: It's about 45 min long, and it really talks about this and this journey, as she uncovers what it was that he had, and then she makes it her mission to start educating others, to even go to Congress and ask for more funding for research that more people would be aware of this. That's incredible. Because that's the ripple effect, right? You know why, II mean, and how many, how many of us in the nonprofit sector, you know, see.

00:36:55.900 --> 00:37:17.850 Tommy DiMisa: out of tragedy comes these great opportunities for people to change the world, you know. I I'd like to kind of wink and say, no big deal change in the world. Just change. But no, it is a huge deal. Obviously, you're showing the movie which I did not know about until we were just a break sort of like like Conan O'brien whispering about what's going on. But you're showing the movie on Tuesday night, February twenty-seventh. This coming Tuesday.

00:37:17.850 --> 00:37:37.599 Lauren Vlachos: Correct. Tuesday, February twenty-seventh. We'll be at Bright View senior living, which is located in Sayville, and we're going to show them will be from 4 to 6, and we have a panel discussion. So people are more than welcome to attend. If they're interested they can go to my website and then reach out to me and I'll get them signed up. We'll also begin to showing it at the Suffolk.

00:37:37.600 --> 00:38:00.749 Lauren Vlachos: Why, Jccc. In June. So more information will be available for that, too. We've been working with libraries and a lot of community organizations. The Bristol Senior, living as well has been showing the movie to it some of their various locations. So if folks are interested, they can just reach out to myself, and I can get them the information. Alright. The website is A, DRC. Incorg, A, DRC.

00:38:00.810 --> 00:38:16.909 Tommy DiMisa: inc.org. You can always reach out to me, Tommy dia philanthropy and focus. PH. Oc, us, if you need to get to learn. But I just updated my calendar to say, from 4 to 6. I will be watching spark in Save Hill on Tuesday night. And you, you know, like, it's

00:38:17.090 --> 00:38:36.159 Tommy DiMisa: I just joined the Jccc. In my neighborhood. Yeah, and maybe not. Maybe because that doesn't take me long to kind of make friends. But what we could do is as I sort of make my connections in the space. Maybe we could talk about how we get spark in there. But is that something you wanna continue to kind of take on a road show to to educate people.

00:38:36.160 --> 00:38:50.320 Lauren Vlachos: Yeah. And that's what we've been doing for the last year. Now, I'm actually looking at some documentaries about frontal temporal dementia. So again, Bruce Willis has been very public about his diagnosis. As I said earlier, Wendy Williams has now just come out public with her diagnosis.

00:38:50.320 --> 00:39:15.279 Lauren Vlachos: and there are some documentaries available. So again, even though the name of our organization has Alzheimer's and it, we're really about trying to educate people about all of the dementia. So that's where people are confused, Tommy. So the word dementia is very similar to the word cancer. It's an umbrella term. And then within, under that umbrella you have all these different forms of dementia. And what? And really why, they're different is because they're affecting different parts of the brain. Whether

00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:38.500 that affecting the front part of your brain, the middle part of your brain, or towards the back of the brain, and all of those different parts of our brain control are different behaviors. How we think, how we reason our logic, our language. So a lot. They're using that fancy word right now, aphasia. And really, that's just a word for that. You're having trouble with language, remembering words, remembering speech patterns.

00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:53.869 Lauren Vlachos: Things like that word recall, you know, so often times. If you see someone who's like, you know the who's he? Watch it? The watchman call, you know him heard because they're struggling for the word recall, and that part of their brain there could be, there could be something going on. Sometimes

00:39:53.870 --> 00:40:14.280 Lauren Vlachos: there's other issues where it could just be sleep. Apnea. So again, it's really important that people go talk to their doctors about things that they're saying, and make sure that other things are ruled out first before they're like, Oh, my gosh! Maybe I have a form of dementia. There could be something going on, but there could be other things as well. So it's just really important to kind of roll out some of those other factors first.

00:40:14.280 --> 00:40:25.240 Tommy DiMisa: Thank you for all that, and thank you for that whole. III see II had not heard it frame that way. Dementia cancer, like where it's at all encompassing umbrella type

00:40:25.350 --> 00:40:51.420 Tommy DiMisa: phrase, right or or term. So that's that's really. And then and I and I saw see you. You didn't speak super technical. I totally understood what you're saying like, it's different parts of your brain control different functions of the body. Right. So if what one part of the brain is affected, it's obviously going to affect the outcome at certain things. So really, really thoughtful. And the fact that you're gonna go out with this documentary and then other documentaries.

00:40:51.480 --> 00:41:13.419 Tommy DiMisa: I don't know about you, Lauren, but I love being told stories like that's my bag man like. Tell me a story. Read me a story like II like to read, and I like to write in the, in my books and stuff like that. At the same time I love audio books because I like people to read to me so. Our friend, I think you know my friend Renee, Daniel Flagler. Girls think of Long Island right? So Renee is actually

00:41:13.780 --> 00:41:21.719 Tommy DiMisa: very well known author. She writes 2 2 genres of books she writes, romance novels, and she also writes like motivational like.

00:41:21.720 --> 00:41:45.049 Tommy DiMisa: you know your your love, your life's journey type books. These are her books. So so one day I bought one of Renee's books, and I was like nay, I wanted to read your book while I was listening to the audio book, and she was like Tommy, I don't have my books like I'm where I think this is a text message. So I got my book is not an audio book. I don't have it done, I said, well, how about this? Can I call you at 7 30 tonight? And you can read me the book.

00:41:45.220 --> 00:41:52.650 Tommy DiMisa: No, she cannot do that

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:56.760 Tommy DiMisa: anyway. I hope you all are laughing because we're laughing.

00:41:57.550 --> 00:42:15.460 Tommy DiMisa: when you look at the the opportunity that's presented. that that an organization like yours answers those opportunities. And really, with some of the day in and day out stuff, can you talk a little bit about that, like the experiences families have even the experiences your staff has when they're dealing with full.

00:42:16.750 --> 00:42:40.940 Lauren Vlachos: My staff is amazing. Actually, we do a lot, Tommy, and we serve a lot of Long Island families on a very small staff. So we have 3 individuals. We have a social worker who goes and meets with families for free to really hear about what's happening in their life, and then we'll provide referrals and references for them, depending on what their needs are. We have a program director who runs amazing life enrichment activities. And I mean, we have a slew of them.

00:42:40.940 --> 00:43:05.879 Tommy DiMisa: We do art expressions in the community. We do art therapy programs. We have Bingo. Oh, my gosh! People love Bingo! They go nuts for Bingo. We do baking programs. Virtually. We do drumming at the Parish Art Museum. We do. So you were talking about horses. We actually bring the folks to the horse, ran. We go out to Calvert into a place called Spirits Promise, and the reason we use them is because the horses

00:43:05.880 --> 00:43:29.789 Tommy DiMisa: horses are all rescue horses. And so you, you know, and sometimes people don't want them either, and the idea is that we pair and we groom the horses, and we're just in their presence. How often you do that? And when can I go? When is the program. Who's the program person we're talking about? Let's shout that person out. Her name is Carol Hartman, and she's amazing. She organized all these, the pro the equines gonna start. It's once a month, march through August.

00:43:30.160 --> 00:43:54.880 Tommy DiMisa: and I believe this month it's like the third Wednesday we usually go out on Wednesdays. Oh, it's your boy, Tommy. Gee, I want to come out. I know a little bit about horses. Spirits promise you said right. I know the Warrior Ranch Fund, which is out there in Calgary, too, which they again rescuing horses, rescuing animals. And then these animals get parted up and work with veterans, and I mean oh, my God.

00:43:54.880 --> 00:44:10.829 Tommy DiMisa: II can't to show I'm gonna cry all the time, Calvert. I wanna go. Let's Carol and Tommy and Calvert. Let's figure that out. I'll bring Italian nice as if it's appropriate. I gotta talk about the Bingo thing. I was the Mc. At Pasta Bingo here in the neighborhood couple of weeks ago.

00:44:10.830 --> 00:44:17.169 I think I think I have to be the Mc. For Boston, Bingo. Even after my kids are out of high school like, I'll always have to be the Mc.

00:44:17.290 --> 00:44:40.190 Tommy DiMisa: Black dress shirt, black tie, gold jacket. My daughter says I remind her, if you guys are familiar with the movie, Collins, I hope you're listening. If you're familiar with the movie, the Hunger Games, there's a guy called Caesar Flickr man, and he's like a game show host. So. And I always wanted to be a game show host, and it's things the the worlds are just colliding.

00:44:40.190 --> 00:45:02.960 Tommy DiMisa: I heard you say baking, I heard you say drumming at parish art center. W. One. I just dig. I have a kunga and a kinka on the other side of the attic gang. You you wouldn't be. You would be so surprised if you know all the stuff that was here in the attic. I can't move around very much, but there's a lot of stuff here, but I would bring my kunga. I don't know how to play it, but I would bring it and learn how to play, but this is the kind of fun because

00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:12.599 Tommy DiMisa: you know it through a creative expression. I shout out, the spirit of Huntington Art Center. You know, creative creative expression ignites minds, ignites hearts. It's so incredibly important.

00:45:12.600 --> 00:45:29.939 Tommy DiMisa: And have you been to the spirit of Huntington with me? Spirit of hunting? We talk about it like for okay, you gotta come, you gotta come there. We'll do a tour. You'll meet the team. It's such a special place, and I know we have programming at that would benefit the participants in the family in your programming as well.

00:45:30.650 --> 00:45:39.690 Tommy DiMisa:  we do have to take a break when we come back. I want to talk about. I want to talk about everything, but I want to talk about Saturday, May the fourth

00:45:39.740 --> 00:46:06.430 Tommy DiMisa: alright, and then I want to talk about March the fourteenth, which is the the event. And you know we have a a very well known speaker in this space in this world which will talk about Dr. Sandeep Johar, and I. When I see him I'm gonna say, Dr. Johar, and then he might say to me, Call me Sandeep, and then I'll say, but my mother always, said Thomas. He's a doctor. You refer to him as doctor, so we'll see.

00:46:06.530 --> 00:46:18.089 Tommy DiMisa: doctor. We'll see how that goes when I see on the fourteenth. But anyway, Lauren and I will be right back on the program in a moment to finish up. Talk about what's upcoming and how you all can help. Good. Lauren

00:46:18.190 --> 00:46:20.199 Tommy DiMisa: sounds good. Alright. We're going to a break.

00:48:22.450 --> 00:48:49.250 Tommy DiMisa: Tell you this, man I'm gonna tell you this. Everybody listen up. Listen up! Listen up announcement. If you're gonna do the thing, do the thing. You know. I just listen to my theme. So nonprofits need connections to moving right directions, cut through all static. Join Tommy in the attic, you know. That was just an idea, just an idea. Now, I'm out there making connections and nonprofits, I think, are better off because they get to meet each other, and if I'm the catalyst that puts them together, I'm thrilled to be it. So that is what. Oh, my goodness! Something just up like a squirrel! There goes the adh date

00:48:49.250 --> 00:49:14.670 Tommy DiMisa: at 4 pm. At the event. Apparently there's gonna be an ice cream social who knew? So I was just about to tell you that I'm probably so. I bought a lavender suit that I wore to the New York City. Imagine awards. And as I stare at your website, I'm wondering if it would be the appropriate for the Mc. Of the event. You're not. Your head is nodding. But now I'm concerned because I'm a little messy, and I might have to change

00:49:14.670 --> 00:49:30.439 Tommy DiMisa: before I have go to the ice cream social cause I don't wanna ruin my suit by smelling any ice cream on it. Anyway, I'm sharing the website right now A. DR. cinc.org ad rc, incorg, I actually have.

00:49:30.440 --> 00:49:56.509 Tommy DiMisa: where I pulled up right now is the Education Conference event. I'll scroll up to the top gang if you're just coming back. But check it out. There is Sandy Johar. The book is his first book was Intern a doctor's initiation, and then his bestseller was his own best seller is my father's brain. It was a memoir in the relation about a relationship with his father in the late stage of his father's life, who has, as he succumbed to dementia. If I'm not mistaken, Lauren.

00:49:57.030 --> 00:50:01.839 Tommy DiMisa: Dr. Johar was sort of at this point. I'm a doctor

00:50:01.970 --> 00:50:11.210 Tommy DiMisa: right, and now, my dad has this problem or this challenge, or this illness, and I can't do anything about it. Isn't that so? Sort of some of the journey and of his conversation.

00:50:11.570 --> 00:50:36.549 Lauren Vlachos: And it's also when you're navigating the disease, especially with your siblings. Everyone has opinion about how it should go, and so he's very humble and honest and sharing. You know how you know his brother, who's also a doctor, you know, has thoughts about how it should go, or his sister and even his own ethics come into play, you know, as a doctor. It's do no harm, you know, save life, no matter what, and it comes down to.

00:50:36.550 --> 00:51:00.320 Tommy DiMisa: you know, is his dad really there anymore, you know, and he begins to, you know, struggle with that in the sense of you know. II, you know my whole life I've been this way save everyone's life. But now this is a different kind of disease than being a cardiologist and dealing with heart disease. Super interesting. Dr. Johar. I'm gonna text you. Maybe you could read me your book if it's not already out there on audio, Rene said. No, but I'm just gonna keep asking.

00:51:00.320 --> 00:51:03.810 I had Matthew Mcconaughey read me his book, I mean

00:51:04.170 --> 00:51:05.469 Tommy DiMisa: he probably

00:51:05.670 --> 00:51:21.509 Tommy DiMisa: to full transparency. He had recorded his book. It's on audible. He would read it to you as well, Lauren, but as far as I'm concerned, when I paid like 8 bucks that month, Mcconnell, he was reading it to me. He didn't reference me by name. It was like, Hey, Tommy DI know you're listening, but I just feel like it was him, and I

00:51:21.510 --> 00:51:44.219 Tommy DiMisa: am I ridiculously silly, or is this just? I was hoping you say yes, alright. So look I that II wanna just say you, you know, if they go to the website, they could see all the topics descriptions you got game changer. How to improv how improv exercise this is I can't be the Mc. Because I have to go to all these sessions. I can't do it anymore.

00:51:44.220 --> 00:52:03.460 Tommy DiMisa: because how improv exercises it in games boost well, being creativity and community and then unlocking potential. As you said earlier, the Montessori method in dementia care progress, and the diagnosis and treatment for Alzheimer's disease navigating the continuum, a comprehensive approach to dementia. Care do you know, my friend Nicole Christensen?

00:52:03.460 --> 00:52:27.539 Tommy DiMisa: I do. Yes, patient care. Advocate planning your future, protecting your assets. Yeah, right? Planning your future, protecting your assets gang, you know you spend this whole lifetime, you know, focused if you. If this is part of your focus on a massing wealth, or or at least security, and then

00:52:27.700 --> 00:52:29.030 Tommy DiMisa: and then it could all just

00:52:29.540 --> 00:52:57.289 Tommy DiMisa: flutter away right if if we don't have the proper things in place 9 Am. The event starts ice cream social at 4. There's a whole bunch of stuff between 9 Am. And the ice cream social. But we went over that. I remember you and I were like joking about this when when you first asked me to do it, and we like oh, my God, you you would send me like you can go to the breakout. So you gave me. Of course, I'm gonna go to the breakout, so I'm gonna be like running back from the breakouts with everybody else, and I'll be sitting in a seat and they go. Tommy, you're supposed to be in front of the room. What's going on here?

00:52:57.820 --> 00:53:05.269 Tommy DiMisa: all right, super fired up about this Northwell health, a gentle touch, senior care. Some of your sponsors, Russo law, firm, senior care companions, artists.

00:53:05.360 --> 00:53:13.230 Tommy DiMisa: senior living Colmac, the arbors, so many, many, many, many law firms here, so I can't say Mall

00:53:13.510 --> 00:53:21.439 Tommy DiMisa: but check out the website, and you will see them off. Lauren. What do we need to leave people with? Is also the event want to talk about

00:53:21.530 --> 00:53:31.140 Tommy DiMisa: on May Fourth. So tell me about that. Tell me, what? What do we? I like to say this. Let's leave it all out on the field. Let's leave it on field before we go. So what do they need to know before you leave?

00:53:31.140 --> 00:53:39.489 Lauren Vlachos: So they need to know. They should go now and sign up for the Education Conference again. It's Thursday, March fourteenth, at Stoneybrooke University. The parking is, gonna be free, guys.

00:53:39.490 --> 00:54:04.359 Lauren Vlachos: We have food for you all day. Wonderful program plan. So please go sign up and register today for that event, and then on Saturday, May fourth, we will host our annual walk and memory festival. And so this will take place at Marjorie Post Park in Mass Pica, and it's an opportunity for families to come together, celebrate their loved ones access resources again, and just enjoy a really nice day where we raise awareness

00:54:04.360 --> 00:54:23.119 Tommy DiMisa: for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, and we also celebrate those who have been impacted by the disease anymore. But like you got I'm holding, I'm sharing this little baby, Yoda, which I think his name is not Baby Yoda. It's something else. But

00:54:23.550 --> 00:54:47.260 Tommy DiMisa: are people gonna be in costume at this thing. So I've already contacted the 500 and first Legion. They're a volunteer organization made up of Star Wars characters, and they're supposed to be on site. So I've requested to have a bunch of storm troopers there with us. Wait a minute. I met them somewhere, you know I just realized something. The 500 and first, as in 501 c. 3. Like, is that their bag? II never thought that

00:54:47.290 --> 00:54:59.079 Tommy DiMisa: ragu grow. Goo grow. Thank you, Logan. Thank you for being there. Man. Pick when Mick Collins isn't around. Logan's got my back, you know. So

00:54:59.900 --> 00:55:12.179 Tommy DiMisa: the 500 first leading. I can't remember where it saw. Oh, I know where it's from. I was at I think it was a Hrc. Suffolk had a walk out at East

00:55:12.180 --> 00:55:39.130 Tommy DiMisa: and telling you, man, it was like 95 degrees, and these people were in these like full. What is it called? Like Stormtro? No, no, they were like real. But I was like dude. You gotta be sweating like you gotta be dying in there like what's anyway all I don't wanna be one of those costumes, but I always like a picture with with people like that. That's always

00:55:39.200 --> 00:55:43.860 Tommy DiMisa: so. That event. So you you connected with them. We should talk to them, we should. I need to meet them again.

00:55:44.320 --> 00:56:10.970 Tommy DiMisa:  Lauren, we have a live band, we have food, we have music at the walk to. We have a lot of games. Bring the kids instrollers come out and join us again. Saturday, May fourth, at Marjory Post Park and Mass Pica. I love that park. I was just telling you earlier that day with you. I'll be there and then. The next day we got the best buddies of Long Island Friendship walk in the same park, shout out to Marjorie, Post Park, unquote Premier Payroll. They're right there on Unkwa Boulevard.

00:56:10.970 --> 00:56:34.399 Tommy DiMisa: It's Boulevard, Uncle Road, Uncle Road. Look, Lauren, I'm totally jazz. You're my friend. I appreciate what you do. I appreciate what the organization does. I mean. It's a real shot in the arm for you to invite me to be the Mc. At your event. It's always fun to get out there and be on the front lines, you know, when you ask me to do it. Of course the ego was like, Get in there, Tommy, do it, and then II set back when I got past that. And it was like.

00:56:34.580 --> 00:56:47.240 Tommy DiMisa: you know what man this is, what it's about. This is on Brand. This is what the nonprofit sector connector is about that. Why would you do this, Tommy? You're an insurance broker, right? You want a benefits. Agency will.

00:56:47.620 --> 00:57:06.390 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. But that's like, that's my business. But like this is totally on Brand. It's a nonprofit organization, changing the world, supporting people that need support getting the world out, getting the word out in education. And I go. That's exactly what I'm trying to do. So, Lauren, you empowered me to lean in and do something that

00:57:06.480 --> 00:57:27.139 Tommy DiMisa: maybe a little bit outside my comfort zone, man, I don't always like being in the front of the room in the back. Now, you know, that's not true. The first time we ever met I was running a panel. Discussion at Biscardi. We're a bunch of nonprofit leaders shout out to discardy, shout out to the health, biz! Health and business alliance! My buddy Burt lurch the President there. But that's how you and I met, and I appreciate your friendship. So

00:57:27.140 --> 00:57:49.879 Tommy DiMisa: let us know how we can help in any way. Obviously gang. If you want to connect with us. You know you know how to connect with me, Tommy, Dyc. And Instagram and Lauren. You go to A. DRCI nk.org before I say bye, it's ad RCIN c.org. What did I say? I thought maybe it was ink like like tattoos.

00:57:50.630 --> 00:57:59.970 Tommy DiMisa: I know I know ad RCIN CORG, OMNY.

00:58:00.020 --> 00:58:04.720 Tommy DiMisa: See, you guys later make it a great day, Lauren. Thank you. I appreciate you likewise. Be well, take care