John Scully, Author of Visited Mom Today, to Speak at Benchmark at South Farms on March 5

MIDDLETOWN, Conn., March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- 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 (Green Heart Living Press, 2024), offering families practical tools and renewed perspective on what connection can look like—even in the face of memory loss.

On March 5 at 2 p.m., Scully will speak at Benchmark at South Farms, an assisted living and Mind & Memory Care community in Middletown. During the program, he will offer inspiration, practical communication strategies, encouragement and even moments of humor for families navigating dementia.

More than 200,000 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.

At Benchmark at South Farms, fostering meaningful human connection is central to daily life. Associates in the community's secure Mind & Memory Care neighborhood are specially trained in effective communication techniques, including Benchmark's nationally award-winning Connect First program, which helps cultivate belonging, purpose and engagement for residents living with dementia.

Caregivers are welcome to bring loved ones with dementia as supportive care will be provided during the program.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Karen Rorke at 203.824.1172 or email krorke@benchmarkquality.com.

About Benchmark Senior Living

Benchmark is New England's largest senior living provider with 70 independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care communities and over 7,200 dedicated associates providing compassionate care and outstanding experiences throughout the Northeast. The Waltham, Mass.-based company was founded over 29 years ago by Tom Grape with the purpose of Transforming Lives Through Human Connection. Since then, Benchmark has continued to set the industry standard, having won over 300 hundred local, regional and national awards for its care, programs and as a top workplace. Benchmark has been named one of the Top Places to Work for 18 straight years in The Boston Globe's annual employee-based survey and received repeated recognition in FORTUNE's Best Workplaces for Aging Services list. In 2025, Benchmark communities received 67 U.S. News & World Report Best of Senior Living excellence awards based on resident and family feedback. For more information, visit BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com.

Media Contact

Carol Arnold, Benchmark Senior Living, 1 6035020469, carol@arnoldcomm.com, http://www.benchmarkseniorliving.com

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SOURCE Benchmark Senior Living