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.