Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health - Event Calendar

***UPDATED LISTINGS ***
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health Announces
December Caregiver Schedule

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health announces its December schedule for caregiver programming, including the “Lunch & Learn” weekly education series, a special art series and Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Dementia with Lewy Body support groups. All programs are designed for family and professional caregivers, featuring topics of interest to those who care for individuals with ALS, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia and other neurocognitive disorders. Complementing excellent patient care, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is focused on providing supportive services and programs to caregivers and family members, maximizing their knowledge, skills and capacity to provide care.

All educational programs are offered free of charge and are held at 888 W. Bonneville Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106. For additional information contact Verla Niebuhr at 702.483.6055 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit the patient and family services program calendar at www.keepmemoryalive.org/socialservices.

Lynne Ruffin-Smith Library
Located on the first floor, the library features hundreds of books, videos and brochures for patient’s families and the community-at-large. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Receive a free tote bag when you check out a book. The library catalog can be viewed here.

On-site Book of the Month: The Healing and Love Collection: Dancing with Elephants, A More Healing Way, Healing Justice – Jarem Sawatsky

e-Library for Remote Access
The Lynne Ruffin-Smith Library now offers an e-Library selection of resources. People in rural and remote areas of Nevada, as well as those who can’t visit the library at the Clinic, can now access e-Books from their computer, phone, tablet or iPad®. To check out materials from the e-Library register as a library patron and obtain a patron number (library card number) by visiting the library Mondays – Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. or call 702.483.6033. Remote access can be gained by visiting keepmemoryalive.org/library.

e-Library Book of the Month: Creating Moments of Joy Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded – Jolene Brackey

Contact the Library, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., for additional information.

Special Education Series
Healthier Living – Chronic Disease Self-Management
Thursdays, Jan. 9 – Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Topics include caregiving, communication skills, addressing difficult emotions, exercise and diet and working with healthcare providers. Registration REQUIRED. Guests can register at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.778.6702

Powerful Tools for Caregivers
EVENING SESSION
Thursdays, Jan. 16 – Feb. 20 from 5:30 – 8 p.m.
Topics include self-care, mastering caregiving decisions, finding community resources to build a care network and much more! Registration REQUIRED. Guests can register at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.778.6702

Support Group Schedule:
FOR CARE PARTNERS ONLY
Dementia with Lewy Body (DLB)
Monday, Dec. 9 from 1:15 – 2:30 p.m.
This group is held for adult family members who provide care and/or support for loved ones with dementia with Lewy body. For additional information, including registration can email Ruth at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.483.6054.

Frontotemporal Disorders (FTD) and Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)
Wednesday, Dec. 4 and Dec. 18 from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
This group is held for adult family members who provide care and/or support for loved ones with frontotemporal disorders and primary progressive aphasia. For additional information, including registration can email Ruth at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.483.6054.

Memory Loss for Caregiver Support Group
Every Wednesday from 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
*Respite available with reservation; First time attendees must email Dr. Carriere at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.778.7001
This weekly group is held for adult family members who provide care and/or support for loved ones with memory loss, facilitated by Dr. Carriere, PhD. For additional information, call 702.271.9563.

INDIVIDUALS AND CARE PARTNERS
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
Monday, Dec. 2 from noon – 1 p.m.
This is a support group for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) care partners, facilitated by Ruth Almén, LCSW. For additional information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 702.483.6054.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Support Group
Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
This group is held for early stage individuals and adult family members who provide care and/or support for loved ones with Parkinson’s disease. Separate groups meet at the same time. Phone screening for new early stage participants is required. For additional information contact Michelle at 702.483.6006 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. New attendees must contact Michelle.

Huntington’s Disease (HD) Support Groups
Thursday, Dec. 19 from noon – 1:15 p.m.
This group is held for gene positive individuals (asymptomatic and early stage) and adult family members. Interested individuals can contact Donna, 702.483.6035 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Memory Café – Respite
Every Wednesday from 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
*NO PROGRAM – Dec. 25
Those living with memory loss and their caregivers have found a positive impact and a fun time for their loved ones through this program. Participate in stimulating activities with a loved one or allow them to enjoy the program while you attend the Memory Loss for Caregivers Support Group, visit our library, or grab a snack at our café. Evidence-based, dementia connection activities include movement singing and a collaboration with The Smith Center for TimeSLIPS™ creative storytelling and coming soon, the Alzheimer’s Associations art-making program Memories in the Making®. Reservations REQUIRED due to space limitations. Call Verla, 702.778.6702 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., for more information or reservations.

Mind in Design – An Art Making Class for Everyone!
Monday, Dec. 9 from 10:30 a.m. – noon
Friends and Families can come together to tap their creative spirit, unwind and de-stress in a fun, friendly and interactive art session. Influenced by Memories in the Making® RSVP by calling 702.778.6702 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Learning Arts
Eclectic excursions via videoconferencing with museums across North America. No reservations needed. All art education programs are held at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The event is open to the public and free of charge. Contact Verla, 702.778.6702, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional information.
Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 11 a.m. – noon: The Beauty of Africa – Oiada International
Tuesday, Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. – noon: The Nature of our Holiday Traditions – Royal Botanical Gardens

Conversations to Remember
*NO PROGRAM – Dec. 23
Tell your story! This program fosters thought-provoking exchanges, creative thinking, and can stimulate distant memories. Art pieces drive the conversations and is ideal for individuals with memory and movement disorders and their care partners. This program is ideal for individuals with memory and movement disorders and their care partners.

Group Music Therapy
Mondays from 1:15 – 2:30 p.m.
Thursdays from 3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
Music therapy has many benefits for patients and caregivers impacted by memory or movement disorders, including providing opportunities for memory recall, decreasing feelings of stress, anxiety and depression, increasing language and communication skills, aiding in regulating gait and movement coordination and improving social interactions and emotional connections with family and caregivers. This group combines music and therapeutic techniques for each individual while also fostering friendships. Caregivers are encouraged to bring their loved one impacted with a memory or movement disorder to participate in music therapy. RESERVATIONS REQUESTED. To register, call Becky at 702.701.7895.

Group Physical Therapy
Tuesdays and Thursday from 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., and 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Caregivers are encouraged to bring their loved one impacted with a memory or movement disorder to participate in seated and standing exercise groups for $10 a day. Enjoy the seated exercise group from 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., or the standing exercise group from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. RESERVATIONS REQUESTED. To register, call Becky at 702.701.7895.

Memory Movers
Fridays from 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Join us for a music-physical therapy collaboration that provides benefits for patients and caregivers impacted by memory or movement disorders. Caregivers are encouraged to bring their loved one impacted with a memory or movement disorder to participate in Memory Movers. RESERVATIONS REQUESTED. To register, call 702.483.6032.

Group Speech Therapy
Wednesdays from 9 – 10 a.m.
Caregivers are encouraged to bring their loved one to enjoy voice, language and memory classes. The class is offered for $10 a day. RESERVATIONS REQUESTED. To register, call 702.483.6032.

In Honor of Barbara “Spicy Lady” Edmonds - Lunch & Learn Educational Series
Wednesdays from noon – 1 p.m.
Feel free to bring your lunch. No RSVP Required. View live at CCLunchLearn.com

Dec. 4: Clinical Trials in a Nutshell – Liliana Dumitrescu, MA, BSc.
Clinical Trials are a landmark in the progress of medicine. They have helped hundreds of thousands of people who are alive today. They May be an option for you. Learn about clinical trials in general; what they entail, who is eligible and the process for participation. Then hear about trials available at Cleveland Clinic for Movement Disorders.

Dec. 11: Happy Holidays? Really? Yes, Really! – Samuel Hickson, LSW, MSSA, MBA – HealthCare Partners NV
In this presentation, learn how to overcome some challenges of the holiday season using available resources. We will explore varying stressors that can come from being a caregiver, emotional dilemmas that arise, and resources that might help turn hard times into joyous times.

Dec. 18: Navigating the Dementia Journey: Creating Your Own Road Map – Susan Hirsch, Cleveland Clinic
Navigating the Dementia Journey is a new tool created as part of Nevada’s Dementia Friendly mission. Learn about this resource designed to help you create your personal road map of services and programs that can offer support over the course of dementia.

Dec. 25: NO PROGRAMMING

**Filmed and archived Lunch & Learn presentations are available for viewing at your convenience. **http://www.cclunchlearn.com

Actively Recruiting Clinical Trials and Research Studies:
DELIVER-MS
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is now recruiting eligible participants for the DELIVER-MS study. The purpose of the global, multi-center study, led by Cleveland Clinic, is to compare the benefits and risks of two common treatment approaches for multiple sclerosis to determine which is the better course. Men and women ages 18 to 60 who have been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, are early in their disease course, and have not yet started a disease modifying therapy will be eligible to participate. Additionally, interested participants must be able to show evidence of new MRI lesions or have had relapses over the past 12 months, be able to walk independently or with assistance, and be eligible and willing to follow-up at Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health during the course of the study.

Those interested in enrolling should contact Nicolette Harmon at 702.701.7972.

TANGO Study
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health is now recruiting eligible participants for the TANGO study. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of BIIB092 in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or with mild AD. Men and women ages 50 – 80, who have been diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Those interested in enrolling are encouraged to call the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health at
855.568.7886 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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