November​ ​is​ ​National​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​Disease​ ​Awareness​ ​Month

From The Desk Of Randy Nelson – Marketing and Admissions. Delmar Nursing and Rehabilitation

In​ ​1983,​ ​President​ ​Ronald​ ​Reagan​ ​designated​ ​November​ ​as​ ​National​ ​Alzheimer’s Disease​ ​Awareness​ ​Month.​ ​At​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​fewer​ ​than​ ​two​ ​million​ ​Americans​ ​had Alzheimer’s.​ ​Today,​ ​over​ ​five​ ​million​ ​people​ ​have​ ​been​ ​diagnosed​ ​with​ ​the​ ​disease.Alzheimer’s,​ ​a​ ​form​ ​of​ ​dementia,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​progressive​ ​brain​ ​disorder​ ​that​ ​slowly​ ​destroys memory​ ​and​ ​thinking.

According​ ​to​ ​the​ ​National​ ​Institute​ ​on​ ​Aging,​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​is​ ​the​ ​6th​ ​leading​ ​cause​ ​of death​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​and​ ​the​ ​5th​ ​leading​ ​cause​ ​of​ ​death​ ​for​ ​persons​ ​aged​ ​65​ ​and older.​ ​​ ​At​ ​this​ ​time,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​cure​ ​for​ ​the​ ​disease​ ​although​ ​some​ ​treatments​ ​​may temporarily​ ​improve​ ​symptoms.

In​ ​Delmarva,​ ​experts​ ​say​ ​the​ ​region​ ​faces​ ​a​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​services​ ​and​ ​training​ ​for​ ​caregivers and​ ​professionals​ ​alike.​ ​​ ​“We’ve​ ​seen​ ​a​ ​dramatic​ ​increase​ ​in​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​cases,”​ ​said Carol​ ​Zimmerman,​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​Association​ ​Development​ ​and​ ​Outreach​ ​Coordinator​ ​for the​ ​Eastern​ ​Shore.​ ​“We​ ​see​ ​families​ ​struggling​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​care,​ ​make​ ​ends​ ​meet​ ​and find​ ​the​ ​resources​ ​they​ ​need,”​ ​she​ ​said.

According​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​Association,​ ​nearly​ ​half​ ​of​ ​caregivers​ ​of​ ​someone​ ​with Alzheimer’s​ ​disease​ ​contribute​ ​financially​ ​to​ ​their​ ​care​ ​and​ ​cut​ ​back​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own expenses​ ​-​ ​including​ ​food,​ ​transportation​ ​and​ ​medical​ ​care.​ ​The​ ​Delaware​ ​Alzheimer’s Association​ ​reports​ ​caregivers​ ​experience​ ​high​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​stress,​ ​guilt,​ ​societal withdrawal,​ ​​​ ​anxiety,​ ​depression,​ ​exhaustion,​ ​and​ ​health​ ​problems​ ​associated​ ​with providing​ ​care​ ​to​ ​a​ ​loved​ ​one.​ ​​ ​“It’s​ ​a​ ​difficult​ ​situation,”​ ​said​ ​​Jamie​ ​Magee​ ​the​ ​Sussex County​ ​Program​ ​Coordinator​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Delaware​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​Association.​ ​“There’s​ ​simply not​ ​enough​ ​resources​ ​in​ ​Sussex​ ​County​ ​and​ ​often​ ​there’s​ ​long​ ​waiting​ ​lists​ ​for​ ​beds​ ​in secure​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​units​ ​when​ ​people​ ​need​ ​placement.”

For​ ​many​ ​families,​ ​placement​ ​in​ ​a​ ​secure​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​unit​ ​is​ ​a​ ​difficult​ ​decision.​ ​At Reflections​ ​Memory​ ​Care​ ​at​ ​Delmar​ ​Nursing​ ​and​ ​Rehabilitation,​ ​we​ ​understand​ ​caring for​ ​a​ ​loved​ ​one​ ​with​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​disease​ ​or​ ​other​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​memory​ ​loss​ ​can​ ​be challenging.​ ​When​ ​the​ ​time​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​move​ ​your​ ​loved​ ​one​ ​to​ ​a​ ​care​ ​facility,​ ​Reflections Memory​ ​Care​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​secure,​ ​safe,​ ​warm,​ ​caring,​ ​home-like​ ​environment.​ ​​ ​It’s​ ​our mission​ ​to​ ​make​ ​them​ ​feel​ ​safe​ ​and​ ​like​ ​they​ ​are​ ​at​ ​home.​ ​We​ ​try​ ​and​ ​tailor​ ​activities around​ ​their​ ​cognitive​ ​functional​ ​abilities​ ​so​ ​we​ ​can​ ​enhance​ ​their​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​life.

We​ ​can​ ​help,​ ​even​ ​if​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​short​ ​respite​ ​stay​ ​for​ ​a​ ​family​ ​member​ ​to​ ​give​ ​everyone​ ​some relief. Our​ ​professional​ ​staff​ ​is​ ​dedicated​ ​to​ ​helping​ ​people​ ​navigate​ ​through​ ​the​ ​difficult decisions​ ​and​ ​uncertainties​ ​people​ ​with​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​and​ ​their​ ​families​ ​face​ ​at​ ​every stage​ ​of​ ​the​ ​disease. For​ ​more​ ​information,​ ​please​ ​contact​ ​Dawn​ ​Harrison,​ ​Admissions​ ​Director​ ​at 302-846-3077​ ​for​ ​a​ ​personal​ ​tour.

To​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​disease,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​visit​ ​the​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​Association’s website​ ​

To​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​what​ ​Delaware​ ​is​ ​doing​ ​to​ ​combat​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​disease right here.

Know​ ​the​ ​warning​ ​signs​ ​of​ ​Alzheimer’s​ ​disease? Find out here.