May 16 Monday
Our study is called Behavioral and Environmental Sensing and Intervention, or BESI for short. This research studies the person with dementia and their caregiver. Agitation is the most common reason for placing people with dementia into nursing homes as it can increase caregiver burden, stress, and depression. Nobody knows when agitation will occur and many things in the environment may bring it on. You may not notice the early signs of agitation, and agitation can get to a point where it can be hard to manage. Most methods used to deal with agitation in dementia do not always work. A tool to catch agitation early would give caregivers the upper hand to fix the situation, and hopefully have less agitation and less caregiver stress. Behavioral and Environmental Sensing and Intervention (BESI) is used in this study to catch different levels of agitation. BESI is a system of body-worn and in-home sensors that provide continuous, non-invasive assessment of agitation and the environment. BESI is used to find the link between agitation and the home environment. It will help us identify the early features of agitation. It involves both the person with dementia and their caregiver; a pair that we call a “dyad”. For questions or to participate, call the research nurse coordinator at: 540.266.6077 Or email at: besistudy@carilionclinic.org
The Blue Ridge Potters Guild hosts its 4th Annual Juried Student Show to showcase outstanding work by young potters across the region. The show will be on display at the Salem Museum May 14 through 1 pm on May 21. The Opening Reception starts at 2 pm on May 14, with awards announced at 2:30 pm. Admission is free.
The show contains work by over 100 area high school and middle school students. Schools represented include Auburn High School, Blacksburg High School, Lord Botetourt High School, Northside Middle School, Patrick Henry High School, and Salem High School. One student artist is home schooled.
The Blue Ridge Potters Guild is a community of potters in the Roanoke, VA area with a mission of promoting community awareness, understanding and appreciation of pottery. The Guild formed in 1996 and now has 125 members from the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas.
Discover the unique joy of creating comedy scenes collaboratively on the fly! Brief 30 minute sessions are offered every weekday at 4 PM ET. These sessions build on each other and examine the basics of how to start a scene, find a comedic focus and navigate common comedy dynamics.
May 17 Tuesday
Established in 2001, CA’s annual conference is Virginia’s first and oldest statewide conference for the latest information on autism and evidence-based interventions. In this our 20th year, the Annual Autism Conference is fully virtual and we’ve spread it out over 5 weeks. You have the option to attend the conference live or view on-demand if your schedule conflicts with a session time. Conference dates are May 17th to June 17th, 2 sessions will be held per day – one at lunch time and one in the early evening. (schedule to follow soon!) We’ve simplified and lowered the general admission ticket price as well.
Please join us to help raise funds for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. See the recently completed five by seven foot “Painting for Ukraine” by Batesville, Virginia artist David Cochrane. This striking and ambitious work is based on David Cochrane's interpretation of Picasso’s famous Spanish Civil War painting “Guernica.” Come witness the painting first hand and meet the artist while enjoying live music and light refreshments. An online auction for the original painting will start on the day of the event. Net proceeds will benefit two charities providing relief to the Ukraine: Global Giving and World Central Kitchen. To purchase tickets, make a donation, or for additional details, visit www.VaultVirginia.com/ukraine.
May 18 Wednesday