GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — The November 2022 broadcast version of Pioneer PBS’s public affairs program Compass features the Building Bridges Memory Choir in Granite Falls and a story about a retired physician’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease. The program will air Thursday, November 17 at 8 p.m. and will be viewable online at www.pioneer.org/compass. People in Pioneer PBS's viewing area can livestream the episode at pioneer.org/live during the broadcast time. Viewers are encouraged to visit Compass on Facebook and YouTube to give feedback on the stories. The program will reair on Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m. and Monday, November 21 at noon.
The Building Bridges Memory Choir is a choral group for people living with dementia and their care partners. It's part of the Act on Alzheimer's program that was started in Granite Falls in 2016 by The Living at Home Nurse Block Program. As part of the Giving Voice Initiative, the choir aims to foster joy, well-being, purpose and community understanding for people living with Alzheimer's disease and their care partners. Act on Alzheimer’s is a statewide network that helps communities improve Alzheimer’s-related care, support caregivers and decrease stigma around Alzheimer's disease. Stream this story now.
Dr. Tom Birkey is a long-time family physician who has served Montevideo for more than 50 years. He's dedicated his career to educating and advocating for rural physicians — for the health of people in the community and for the health of the profession. And now, Dr. Birkey is embarking on the next phase in his health care journey: He suspected that he was developing Alzheimer’s disease in early 2022. This story follows the early stages of Dr. Tom Birkey's journey with Alzheimer’s disease and his wife Doris Thompson’s experience as his care partner. The story also features an interview with Gretchen Reeves, CCM Health’s speech-language pathology supervisor who oversees its Memory Care Clinic. Reeves provides memory care services in western Minnesota and talks about some of the resources available in the area. Funding for this story was provided, in part, by the Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network. Steam this story now.
Viewers with story ideas and issues they would like to see discussed on Compass are encouraged to contact Pioneer PBS via email at yourtv@pioneer.org or call the station at 1-800-726-3178.
About Compass
Compass features current topics relevant to communities in Pioneer PBS's viewing area. Stories are digital-first, meaning they're available onCompass' Facebook and YouTube pages and website before being compiled into monthly broadcasts.
Funding for Compass is provided in part by the Mcknight Foundation, the Otto Bremer Trust and the viewers of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.
