Serving as a caregiver for a family member or close friend with dementia can be a source of great personal satisfaction and reward. However, caregiving can be stressful, leaving the caregiver prone to emotional ups-and-downs and physical health problems. The ACTS2 Project provides support to caregivers through faith-integrated, skills building services to distressed caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and related conditions. 
 

Conviva Senior Health (June 20, 2025)

Jacksonville, FL. Joint workshop performed by Community Hospice & Palliative Care and ACTS2 Project.

Caregiving With a Heart Conference (Mar. 22, 2025)

Sponsored by Big Bend Hospice, ACTS2 Project, and Alzheimer's Project.

Faith Community Workshop (Feb. 22, 2025)

Family caregivers came together at Hopewell AME Church in Havana, Florida for an inspiring Dementia Community Workshop. The event offered practical tools, useful tips, and emotional support to help caregivers navigate the challenges of caring for loved ones with dementia.

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Alzheimer's Project Caregiver Education Conference (Feb. 15, 2025)

The ACTS2 Caregiver Project participated in the Alzheimer’s Project Caregiver Education Conference, engaging with family caregivers and sharing valuable dementia care resources. The event offered hands-on strategies, emotional encouragement, and essential training to support caregivers on their journey.

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Miccosukee Community Center Lunch and Learn (Feb. 6, 2025)

The Tallahassee Senior Center sponsored an ACTS2 Dementia Awareness Workshop that introduced family caregivers to the program’s free skills-training and support services, equipping them with tools to provide compassionate, effective care for loved ones living with dementia.

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 Here’s how ACTS2’s FREE workshop & presentation sessions help:

✅ Managing hygiene and bathing problems

✅ Provide expert insights on dementia progression and caregiving techniques

✅ Offer guidance on caregiver stress management and self-care

✅ Connect caregivers with a supportive community that understands
 

Join future ACTS2 workshops for learning, connection, and hope as we support caregivers to provide compassionate care with confidence. Call ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown at toll-free number 1-866-778-2724 or tnnorton@fsu.edu today to learn more and sign up for our free services.

Visit our website for more information > www.acts2project.org

Follow the ACTS2 Facebook and YouTube for future live workshops > https://www.facebook.com/SupportACTS2 | https://www.youtube.com/@acts2caregiverproject4/videos

Advances in Reducing the Risk for Dementia: Medication and Behavioral Approaches (June 5, 2025)

This workshop will provide information about medication-based and behavioral approaches in reducing the risk for dementia. Pharmacist and Professor Dr. Angela Massey Hill discussed the latest developments in medication-based methods for lowering the risk of dementia and managing dementia-related agitation and depression. She also described how family caregivers and their loved ones with dementia can maximize access to pharmacists for assistance with medication management. Dr. Lisa Fox, person living with mild cognitive impairment discussed her experiences in participating in medication trials and her role as an advocate for early detection and early treatment as well as participation in research on dementia. Tomeka Norton-Brown, ACTS2 Project Coordinator, provided information about no-cost caregiver skills training and support, as well as local, state, and national dementia care resources.

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Diagnostic, Treatment and Support Services for Older Floridians with Memory Problems: What to Know and Ask (Mar. 25, 2025)

The workshop offers practical information about developing a well-rounded estate plan to arrange and protect your family assets. Attorney Jamie Coleman discussed the importance of estate planning and the basics in creating a last will and testament and a living will as well as the pros and cons of trusts. Social worker Stephanie Mallaly provided instruction for developing advance directives and information about the role of memory disorder clinic-based social workers in supporting these efforts. ACTS2 Project Coordinator Tomeka Norton-Brown shared information about the program’s skills building and support services for family caregivers of older adults with dementia.

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The Power of Music in Caring for Loved Ones with Dementia: Gateway to Connection and Well-Being (Dec. 19, 2024)

This workshop offered practical information on engaging the power of music to improve the well-being of loved ones with dementia and family caregivers. Music therapists, Dr. Gooding and Dr. Hernández, provided easy-to-use tips on how to use music for building partnership in caregiving activities and for reducing caregiver distress. They also discussed best methods for accessing professional music therapy for loved ones with dementia and the costs of such services. Dr. Bakan shared innovative developments in ethnomusicology, the study of music from different cultures, for increasing the quality of life of older adults with dementia and their family members. Tomeka Norton-Brown provided information about caregiver skills training and support and dementia care resources will be discussed.

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Dementia Caregiving and Family Estate Planning: Strategies to Prepare Effectively for the Future (Sep. 19, 2024)

Social workers and clinic coordinators, Justice Lewis and Stephanie Malally, described the procedures typically included in memory assessment and their costs, as well as treatment options for memory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. They also discussed how to access memory evaluation, educational and support services at state-funded memory disorder clinics. Family caregiver and dementia care advocate, Priscilla Jean-Louis, shared her personal journey in obtaining a memory evaluation and medical treatment for her loved one with dementia. Last, ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown, provided information about faith-based skills training and support for dementia caregivers, as well as local, state and national dementia care resources.

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"It was by divine intervention and a blessing to have a friend refer me to the ACTS2 program. I made contact and enrolled in the program at an early stage of my husband’s illness.

What a difference this program made in my journey! The classes thoroughly prepared me for what to expect and how to handle each situation I faced. The ACTS2 team members were kind, thoughtful, and taught me how to mobilize resources and prepare mentally and emotionally for each stage of my husband’s disease and the challenges I faced. I was matched with another caregiver who shared their stories, and we learned from each other.

Without the ACTS2 program, I never would have managed to care for my husband at home for six years. I am grateful to God and this program for taking this journey with me. I have made it my goal to be an ambassador for this program and to help other caregivers."

- BM

"What the ACTS2 Program has done for me…

As I contemplated on that question, the Scripture from Matthew 28:18 – “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life” (Message Bible) dropped in my Spirit. I also began to ponder, exactly what a Disciple is, and the meaning I found was (and it’s paraphrased) discipleship is when Christians follow Jesus and live as He did. It involves belief, commitment, transformation, and ongoing growth.

One of the opening statements for ACTS2, states, “ACTS2 is a free faith-based, skills-training and support program for African-American caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Recognizing I wasn’t alone, this program taught me how to wholeheartedly accept and appreciate the shift and journey I was embarking on in my life. I no longer felt alone, there were others that were searching for answers to the same questions I had. How do I do this, and why do I feel like I’m alone? Caregiving is a calling, it isn’t for the faint of heart or the weak, while at times it can be frustrating and difficult, the guidance and teaching received through ACTS2 offered comfort, peace of mind along with an easing of the mind and a release. It gave me strength I didn’t know I had. I was no longer suffering in silence, but I found others that could empathize with caring for my loved ones. I found relief, respite and a forever home if I needed to follow up. This program completely changed my life for the better."

- SS

African American Alzheimer’s Caregiver Training and Support Project 2 (ACTS2) Pilot Study: Outcomes Analysis

• This pilot study evaluated the ACTS2 program for African American dementia caregivers, finding significant improvements in caregiver depression, health, problem severity, and social support. Caregivers also valued the spiritual and relational aspects of the intervention, supporting the need for culturally tailored, larger-scale research.

African-American Lay Pastoral Care Facilitators’ Perspectives on Dementia Care Dementia Caregiver Education and Training

• This case study explored the perspectives of ACTS2 lay pastoral care facilitators, revealing a need for supplementary audiovisual materials, peer support, and enhanced training in data management. Findings emphasize the value of faith-integrated, community-based training to support African American dementia caregivers’ well-being.

Telehealth Interventions for Family Caregivers of Persons with Chronic Health Conditions: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

• This systematic review of 57 randomized controlled trials found that telehealth interventions effectively improve psychological outcomes for caregivers of individuals with chronic conditions. Skills training was the most common strategy, though more research is needed on the impacts of caregiving skills, self-efficacy, and health outcomes.

African American Dementia Caregiver Problem Inventory: Descriptive Analysis and Initial Psychometric Evaluation

• This study developed and evaluated the African American Dementia Caregiver Problem Inventory (DCPI-A), a tool to assess common caregiving challenges and their severity. The DCPI-A showed strong reliability and identified key problem areas, supporting its potential use in clinical interventions for African American caregivers.

(add to banner FREE Services)

1. Telephone-based group skills training and support for distressed Black family caregivers of older adults with dementia residing in Florida.
2. Telephone-based individual problem-solving consultations for all family caregivers of persons with dementia across the U.S.
3. Telephone-based individual information and referral consultations for all family caregivers of persons with dementia across the U.S.
4. In-person or virtual dementia awareness presentations and workshops for all family caregivers of persons with dementia and interested parties across the U.S.  

Let ACTS2 Caregiver Project be your partner in your caregiving world! Together, we’ll help you feel prepared, supported, and connected. Ask for ACTS2 Project Coordinator, Tomeka Norton-Brown at toll-free number 1-866-778-2724 or tnnorton@fsu.edu today to learn more and sign up for our free services.

Visit our website for more information > www.acts2project.org

(Add contact https://www.acts2project.org/contact.html)

Why Support ACTS2?

Your financial support of the ACTS2 free, faith-based skills-training and support project will increase our outreach to distressed African American dementia caregivers and provide the funds needed to train more faith community workers to deliver the program. In addition, our staff systematically evaluates the impact of the ACTS2 program on caregivers’ emotional well-being and health outcomes. We need your help in supporting all the essential parts of the ACTS2 Project.