Help Available For Those Affected By Alzheimer’s Disease

By Kaaren Valenta

Alzheimer’s disease is rapidly becoming one of the major health issues in America. Currently there are approximately four million Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease and as the population ages, the number is expected to reach 14 million by the year 2050.

 “The greatest risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease is age,” said Trudy Brady, coordinator of caregiver services for the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “At age 85, the odds are almost 50-50 that you will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Ms Brady spoke at the Newtown Senior Center recently about the issues involved in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease as well as resources and support services for those who have the disease and for their caregivers.

Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there is hope, Ms Brady said.

“There is a lot of research going on. There are three medications to help stabilize the disease, and within a year it is expected that there will be a new medication that will help reverse some of the effects of the disease. It won’t prevent it, but it may help cure it,” she said.

Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain that causes a steady decline in memory. It is a form of dementia, a loss of intellectual function –– thinking, remembering, and reasoning –– severe enough to interfere with everyday life.

Alzheimer’s disease usually begins gradually, Ms Brady said, initially causing a person to forget recent events and experience difficulties performing familiar tasks.

“If someone has been cooking for 40 years and suddenly they forget how to boil the pasta, that can be a sign,” Ms Brady said. “But confusion, personality or behavior changes, and impaired judgment also can be side effects from a severe infection or depression, not necessarily Alzheimer’s disease so it is important to have a medical diagnosis. More than 40 percent of dementia is due to reversible medical conditions.”

Diagnosis is through a five-part process that includes a blood test, MRI scan, family history, questioning the patient (“Who is President of the United States?”), and determining whether other physical problems could be causing the symptoms.

Once it is determined that a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease, there are places to go for help.

“The Alzheimer’s Association will help caregivers find support groups and educational groups,” Ms Brady said.

“Being a caregiver is a 24/7 job,” she said. “It is just like having a child.”

To assist caregivers, the State Department of Social Services has funded a statewide respite care program, which is operated in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association chapters of Connecticut and the Connecticut Area Agencies on Aging. The program offers daytime or overnight relief for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. The respite care services include adult day care, services of a home health aide, homemaker/companion, skilled nursing care, or short-term nursing care.

The Alzheimer’s Association offers $500 to those families with no income restrictions. The state program provides $3,500 for those whose incomes are less than $30,000 a year and who have less than $80,000 in liquid assets, not including a house and car.

“The Area Agency on Aging in Waterbury will help caregivers access this program,” Ms Brady said.

One question that caregivers frequently ask is how to communicate with someone who is forgetful or uncooperative.

“Look directly at the person, call them by name, and keep it simple,” Ms Brady said. “If the person thinks it is 1930, ask yourself whether it is necessary to correct them. Is what they believe dangerous? If not, why fight that battle? Decide what is important and what do you let go of.”

One of the prevalent and potentially dangerous behaviors common among persons affected by dementia is wandering. A person can become lost, even in familiar settings.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a Safe Return Program, a nationwide program that assists in the identification and safe, timely return of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias who wander and become lost. To enroll someone in the program, now in its tenth year, call toll free 888-572-8566.

“We have trained the police, fire personnel, and EMTs [emergency medical technicians] regarding this program,” Ms Brady said. “There has been an 80 percent return rate, usually within two hours.

“Sometimes the solution is as simple as putting a bolt lock at the top or bottom of the door where the person [with Alzheimer’s disease] won’t notice it.”

The disease can affect persons as young as their 30s, which is very difficult for the spouse and the children, she said.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a hotline that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, to assist caregivers find the resources they need: 800-356-5502.

Each person who has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is different, Ms Brady said. “Some become argumentative and don’t sleep, others become so quiet and sweet but are couch potatoes.

 “Remember that they are doing the best they can –– it’s the illness that is the problem,” she said.

The Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, located in Hartford, can be reached at 860-956-9560.