West Hartford resident John Scully understands firsthand the heartbreak — and hope — of loving someone living with dementia.

For the final eight years of her life, Scully’s mother was nonverbal. During her 13 years in a nursing home, he struggled to find meaningful ways to connect with her and with other residents, until he discovered approaches that changed everything.

Now, Scully shares those lessons in his acclaimed book, Visited Mom Today: Conversations Through the Lens of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, offering families practical tools and renewed perspective on what connection can look like — even in the face of memory loss.

On Wednesday, May 13, 4:30 pm, Scully will speak at Benchmark at Newtown, an assisted living and mind and memory care community. During the program, he will offer inspiration, practical communication strategies, encouragement, and even moments of humor for families navigating dementia.

More than 200 thousand people in Connecticut are impacted by dementia, whether living with the disease themselves or caring for someone who is. Scully’s message centers on stepping into the world of a loved one with memory impairment rather than trying to pull them back into ours.

Benchmark at Newtown is located at 2 The Boulevard. The event is complimentary, however, space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Mary DeGennaro at 203-491-3036 or e-mail mdegennaro@benchmarkquality.com.