About Leeza's Place
In the US, there are over 65 million family caregivers currently taking care of a loved one going through a health crisis. Those numbers are expected to increase dramatically over the next few decades. These are husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, family and friends who are taking care of each other. Caregivers are often depressed, stressed and depleted which can lead to burnout…often causing stress related disorders that can take up to ten years off the life of the caregiver.
Leeza's Place is “A Place for Family Caregivers”; a community gathering place and resource center committed to providing free support services, resources and programs for family caregivers taking care of a loved one with a memory disorder or any chronic and/or progressive illness.
Leeza Gibbons created The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation in 2002 as a promise to her mother to “tell her story and make it count” after her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and her family's subsequent caregiving challenges.
Leeza’s Place is the signature program of the Foundation having opened its first doors in 2003 as the manifestation of what Leeza “wished we had when we were going through this journey.” Leeza's Place is home to all types of family caregivers. Our programs and services educate, empower and energize. We are a source of strength and purpose connecting caregivers to one another and to the much needed resources within the community.
Leeza's Place Programs and Services
Memory Screenings: Early diagnosis is key to living successfully with a memory disorder. Confidential memory screenings at Leeza’s Place take only ten minutes to complete and can suggest whether a medical evaluation would be beneficial.
Presentations and Workshops: Ongoing programs at Leeza’s Place are designed to increase knowledge about the disease process and provide the latest caregiving tips and strategies that may help reduce anxiety and help caregivers maintain their own health
while caring for their loved one.Mentoring: Our unique mentoring program at Leeza’s Place empowers those who have been touched by chronic and progressive illness to guide, encourage and support other caregivers.
Information and Referral Assistance: Specially trained Program & Outreach Directors meet with individual families, making appropriate referrals when needed and connecting caregivers to resources that meet their specific needs.
Media & Resource Library: Leeza’s Place guests are encouraged to utilize our continuously growing library of informational DVD's, books and magazines along with computer stations that provide internet access to our guests.
Leeza’s Memory Television (LMTV): This program offers participants the opportunity to script, stage and record on video their family histories. Journals, scrapbooking, photographs and other memorabilia may all be used to create unique sets and scripts that reflect a family’s unique story.
Support Groups: Our support groups offer a nurturing environment where caregivers from all
disease backgrounds have the opportunity to find strength and develop coping skills. Support groups provide a safe space for guests to offer emotional support and share common feelings and emotions as caregivers discover they are not not alone on their caregiving journey.Scrapbooking: Building memories together gives families the chance to relive joyous events and special moments. Our scrapbooking classes help create self-esteem, allow friendships to grow, and can serve as a mechanism for families to strengthen.
Arts & Crafts: Art programs at Leeza’s Place are led by community experts and teachers who offer classes that may include crocheting, knitting, drawing, painting, poetry, journaling and music. These classes may help reduce stress and connect caregivers with each other.
Alternative Healing Methods: Our Leeza’s Place guests have the opportunity to enjoy various
complementary alternative healing methods which may include reiki, healing touch, guided imagery, meditation, aromatherapy and visualization.Health & Wellness Programs: Our network of professionals help caregivers learn how to manage stress and shift their thinking in order to adapt to changes in lifestyle that come with caregiving.
Social Gatherings & Events: Isolation can be poisonous to a caregiver. Connecting socially and knowing you are not alone provides great comfort and relief to a caregiver. Look for new social events every month at Leeza’s Place that bring together our community of caregivers.
Exercise & Movement: Regular exercise and increased physical activity may help improve mood, boost energy levels and promote a better night’s sleep. Join us for various exercise programs at Leeza’s Place that may include t’ai chi, yoga, pilates, stretching and other physical activities.
Online Community / Caregiver Support Blog: If you can’t make it to our caregiver resource centers, connect with us online anytime. Our website offers an online resource library and our Caregiver Support Blog where caregivers across the country meet to share insights and inspirations. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter too. Learn more by visiting www.LeezasPlace.org.
About Leeza Gibbons
The spectrum of Leeza Gibbons' career in entertainment and new media combined with her stunning "hands on" advocacy for healthcare, patients and caregivers is diverse and impressive. Leeza's on-camera hosting dominance in entertainment news and talk show arenas range from the most popular entertainment news show in history, Entertainment Tonight to TV news magazine Extra. For six years she was producer and host of the eponymous Leeza - the Emmy award winning daytime show covering pop-culture, beauty, medical and social issues. Currently she hosts the PBS TV show My Generation. Her direct response Sheer Cover beauty and cosmetics infomercial show is in its 7th year with worldwide viewership in the tens of millions.
Leeza's compassion, inspiration and commitment to her continual education in healthcare, as well as the education of others, is a special gift potentiated by her listening and communication skills honed as a mother, journalist and humanitarian. It was her family's experience with Leeza's mother and grandmother that inspired Leeza to create The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation (a 501c3 non-profit) and its signature program, Leeza's Place. "After the two strongest women in my life became victims of the thief of memory called Alzheimer's disease, I created what we wished we had…a place to get support, help and hope for our challenging health journey". Now there are 8 Leeza's Place locations nationwide offering free services for family caregivers of loved ones with any chronic illness or disease. A recognized thought leader in the field, she wrote a book about her personal experience called Take Your Oxygen First: Caring for Yourself while Caring for Someone with Memory Loss, which was just named one of the best consumer health books in the marketplace from Library Journal, with additional kudos from Publishers Weekly.
Leeza's journalistic ability and her personal experience found a natural outlet on the Lifetime Series, Health Corner, a weekly TV magazine show focusing on providing viewers with information on health, wellness and prevention as well as the latest discoveries and technologies in the health field. Her television career notably includes shows which reach out to viewers needs, such as the Lifetime series, What Should You Do? During the course of almost 100 episodes of this program, Leeza provided answers and empowered viewers with help and advice for dealing with life-threatening emergencies. Leeza also is the founder and creator of Sheer Inspiration Life Coaching, a web based business offering visitors one-on-one access to experts who can help them reclaim, reinvent or enhance their lives.
Her numerous guest appearances on shows such as Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Oprah, The Today Show, Donny Duestch and The View have all centered around her role as a social entrepreneur and her leadership and involvement in health issues which help foster social awareness and responsibility. Most recently she was named one of the "Ten who Make a Difference" by AARP being called the "Voice of the Caregiver", and she has just been named the AARP Ambassador of Care.
Leeza has been involved with the Alzheimer's Association for over a decade, as well as a two decade commitment to the celebrity panel of the American Red Cross. Leeza is also one of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's appointees to the Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee, the governing board of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
For more information on Leeza, visit LeezaGibbons.com!