Handling the Challenges of Aging

Helpful information about some key life issues faced by people as the years unfold is being dispensed at The Marco Players’ Art of Aging speaker series.

The free, three-installment program offers presentations by experts in the areas of breast cancer surgery, caring for loved ones who have Alzheimer’s disease and lastly, dealing with being separated from grandchildren as they grow up. 

Offering the speaker series is out of the ordinary for the theater. Providing a platform to connect people to resources, counseling and support is the intent, said Beverly Dahlstrom, the Marco Players Artistic Director, Director of Public Relations and Board of Directors President.

“We’re really excited about doing this,” she said. “We’re not going to judge the success or failure based on the numbers because there’s a lot of competition on Marco Island for people’s time. We’re just going to plug ahead.” 

The next installment, “Transitioning to Care Partnering” by the Alzheimer's Support Network,” is set for 1:00 PM to 1:00 PM on March 5. The network is a Naples-based nonprofit that serves families affected by Alzheimer's in Collier County. The speakers will include: 

Marianne Troy, who helps families navigate work and lifestyle challenges presented when caring for someone faced with life-altering brain changes-dementia.

Mel Coppola, an educator with The Eden Alternative, which provides quality of life support for elders and their care partners. She’s also an internationally recognized speaker at conferences specializing in aging.

Debbie Fulton, a consultant with 30 years’ experience working with adult daycare facilities, who oversees Marco Island community relations for the Alzheimer’s Support Network.

Next up, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM on April 9 is “Are Your Grandchildren Growing Up Without You?” The presenter will be Carol Golly, a licensed clinical social worker and play therapist with 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist for children, adolescents, and families in Naples. She is a founding board member of an international organization that helps with intergenerational family issues, and provides support, strategies and hope to grandparents who have no access to their grandchildren.

The presentations are followed by a Q-and-A with the audience and advance registration is recommended. 

Held in early February, the first installment, “Breast Cancer, Alternative to Surgery,” featured breast surgical oncologist Dr. Sharla Patterson of Naples. She discussed “Cryoablation,” an alternative to traditional surgery that kills cancer cells using extreme cold. Her fellow presenter was a patient, two-time breast cancer survivor Marilyn Hilbert, who’s also a well-known actress in productions at The Marco Players and elsewhere in Collier County. Hilbert discussed her experience with Cryoablation treatment. 

Dahlstrom said the series has its beginnings in a series of conversations she happened to have about the issues it addresses. 

First were chats with Hilbert about her most recent cancer bout and how lucky she felt to have been able to go into remission after Cryoablation. Someone else engaged Dahlstrom in discussions about issues surrounding the aging process, such as Alzheimer’s and grandparenting. 

Those talks also led Dahlstrom to begin thinking about her mother, the late Annette Burrier, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 96. Burrier resided with Dahlstrom and her husband and was a regular presence at The Marco Players. 

“Hanging around my mother for all those years really put me in touch with how she used to refer to aging: ‘You have to be a warrior,” explained Dahlstrom. “So, are we really warriors? Do we really understand Alzheimer’s, the issues around grandparenting, the issues around the process that Marilyn underwent? Pretty much how I ended up doing this is out of my experience with my mother, and what it was like to be aging and having these things as issues. So, we thought, ‘Let’s reach out to the community on Marco Island and let’s let them know what’s going on in these various areas of life.” 

The Marco Players is located at 1089 North Collier Boulevard, in the Marco Town Center. For more information and to register, visit themarcoplayers.com or call 239-642-7270.