Pam Smith to Retire After Serving the NEKCOA For Eight Years
After serving for over eight years at the NEK
Council on Aging and 1.5 years as the Director of Client and Caregiver Support,
Pam Smith will retire effective September 18th. During her career at the
Council, Smith has provided support to hundreds of NEK families by providing informational
classes, support groups, respite grants, and a shoulder to lean on.
Her personal journey in caregiving started when her grandmother was diagnosed
with Alzheimer’s.
“We did everything wrong--I can still remember the confusion on my grandmothers
face when I would try to bring her back to my reality. We thought we were doing
the right thing but now I realize that we were not using the correct tools to
help us communicate with her,” said Smith.
That realization started her long-term career for caring and supporting
families with a dementing illness such as Alzheimer’s. She was the first person
hired by the Alzheimer’s Association of VT in the early 90’s after the first
executive director. She started writing thank you notes and sending out
caregiver packets, and each year as the chapter grew, she assumed more
responsibility in different capacities.
Emily Vivyan, the Director of Programs
at the Alzheimer’s Association of VT is grateful for Smith’s dedication.
"We are so fortunate at the Alzheimer's Association to have been able to
team up with Pam over her many years of working with us. Not only has she
provided an incredible service to caregivers of those with Alzheimer's or
another dementia through her monthly support group, but she is also a gifted
and skilled community educator on several topics relating to Alzheimer's and
dementia. She has really helped us create a strong programming presence in the
Northeast Kingdom and we are so proud she has shared her talents with us. We
wish her a fulfilling and relaxing retirement!"
Smith eventually acted as an interim Executive Director for the Alzheimer’s
Association during a transition time of the Chapter. In 2012 a position
for family caregiver support staff opened at the Council, which was a
perfect fit. “I loved leading workshops that provided education and support for
family caregivers, I don’t want families to make the same mistakes we made 30
years ago.”
Smith is a licensed local pastor for the United Methodist Church and plans to spend quality time with her husband, children, and grandchildren at her home in Groton.
