PALM HARBOR, Fla. — June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and there is a woman in Dunedin who has created a new start-up company, in honor of her dad, aimed at bridging the gap between patient and caregiver.
As you walk down the hallways at Arden Courts of Palm Harbor, you’ll notice not only does every resident have a photo of themselves outside their door, but also a list of fun facts, as well as a QR code that shows a video of that resident.
It’s all part of the new business, Catalist 4 Connections, started by Dunedin resident Jessie Brown.
“So, my dad maybe 10 years ago, maybe 11 now, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and I was on his journey with him, and I wanted to make sure no matter where my dad was everyone had a couple pieces of information that they could connect with him,” said Brown.
So Brown founded Catalyst 4 Connections specifically for people living with memory loss and their caregivers, where families can create graphics and videos filled with information about their loved one, from their upbringing and family to their hobbies and careers to their likes and dislikes.
“That information is so vital for this population, because it brings contexts to behaviors, it humanizes the person beyond the disease, and for the caregivers, you aren’t flying in blindly, you have something to connect with them because it’s hard when someone can’t articulate what they are feeling or how to connect with them what they enjoy,” said Brown.
Jessie decided to ask Arden Courts of Palm Harbor to be the first assisted living facility to take part in the pilot program. Arden Courts has a special place in her heart because that’s where her father last resided.
“This is how the best things get done in the industry is by people that have lived it and understand it and really have that connection to it,” said Andrew Defosses with Arden Courts. “It really helps personalize the resident, we often gather information upon move in but getting that information into the hands of the caregiver has been a challenge, this is a great, unique way to bring that quick information and really personalize a person’s story.”
Jack Eunson and James Givens both lost wives to Alzheimer’s Disease. They say that knowing a fellow community member went above and beyond to make their spouse’s final years as comfortable as possible means a lot.
“There was a lot more empathy for her, a lot more communication, so it was a direct improvement in the quality of care that she got here,” said Eunson.
“Just a wonderful thing and it made a big difference in the interactions, not only with staff but the other residents,” said Givens.
Since 2023 Catalyst 4 Connections has expanded to six assisted living facilities here in Tampa Bay as well as Texas.
Brown says she is proud to be a voice in the Alzheimer’s community.
“Absolutely, I have this background, this knowledge of being better, making the community better, and I want to do everything I can,” said Brown.
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