Elder Community Work Project Administrator attended the LCO Sobriety Festival weekend of August 17,18,19,20 on the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Ojibwe Nation, Sobriety and Hope Community, hoping to add to the ECWP RECOVERY COACH TOOL BOX.   The Focus of the Sobriety Festival sponsored by Overcomers Ministries was HEALTHY FAMILIES - HEALTHY NATIONS.  Topic heavily discussed was the high incident of Opioids distribution and abuse in communities.  Sobriety festival also included round table discussions lead by Dr. Kenneth McMillian MD, Dr. David Brown MD and Dr. James Struve MD.   Panelist included Clinicians Daniel D. Cousins Sr. MSW, CSAD, IDP-AT and Sheila Thayer LADC, CCDP.  We can all agree that alcohol abuse can and will completely destroy lives. One of the topics of interest to me was in regards to chronic alcohol abuse leading to symptoms of Dementia. Not only can it lead to severe health and social problems but it can even take away the ability to function mentally, cause mental confusion, agitation and paranoia, lack of muscle coordination (ataxia) eye problems including involuntary eye movements, unequal pupils, and impaired eye movement. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholdementia): Alcoholic Dementia impacts memory and cognitive ability, the inability to create new memories, false memories, the loss of memories and hallucinations.  This is not an elder issue, this progressive state, not reversible, is a Community issue.  This type of dementia can develop in people of any age. As the leaves turn color into Autumn glory and with bitter(sweet) Winter  approaching.. My thoughts and prayers sent out to those in AODA Recovery and to the family members who love them.  
*Photo of Pastor Jeff Crone-LCO Sobriety Festival, sporting a Ho-Chunk style applique shirt, designed and created by Ho-Chunk Elder Berna Big Thunder-Hindsley, gifted by Ho-Chunk Nation Elder Community Work Program.