Alzheimer’s has been described as a very long
goodbye. That’s exactly what the national Alzheimer’s Association would
like to say to a heart-wrenching disease that will afflict 10 million baby
boomers in coming years.
The Alzheimer’s Association aims to eliminate the disease through medical
research. Until a cure can be found, its national network of local and
regional offices also focuses on enhancing care and support for all people
affected by the illness and reducing the risk of dementia through the
promotion of brain health.
The local Alzheimer’s Association office is located in a historical
carriage house on Peterson Street, two blocks south of the public library
in Old Town Fort Collins. The office serves residents in four northern
Colorado counties: Grand, Jackson, Larimer and Routt.
“Support groups are part of our core services,” says regional director
Emmalie Conner. The local support groups serve both people with
Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.
Core programming also includes a 24-hour
emergency response system, known as “Medic Alert + Safe Return,” for
individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementia who have a medical
emergency or who wander.
The local staff relies heavily on volunteers to provide services
throughout the four-county area. “We simply could not exist without our
volunteers,” Conner says.
Volunteers assist with a helpline, office work, “Memories in the Making”
art classes, coordination of fund-raising events and an annual “Caregiver
Pampering Day.”
“Our biggest challenge is raising awareness,” Conner adds. “Less than half
of Colorado families affected by Alzheimer’s have tapped into our
organization’s services, so getting the word out is a major priority.”
For more information
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and services provided locally,
contact the Northern Colorado Alzheimer’s Association, 415 Peterson St.,
Fort Collins, CO 80524, (970) 472-9798,
www.alz.org/co. You can also find out how to volunteer and what
donation items are most needed. |
| What is
Alzheimer's? Alzheimer’s
disease was first described in 1906 by German physician Alois
Alzheimer. Classic symptoms include impaired judgment, disorientation,
confusion, behavior changes, and trouble speaking, swallowing and
walking.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to
80 percent of cases. Nationwide, one in eight people 65 or older has
Alzheimer’s, totaling more than 5 million. Here in Colorado, about
65,000 people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is
expected to grow to 72,000 by 2010.
It’s important that you consult a doctor if you have concerns about
memory loss, thinking skills and behavior changes in yourself or a
loved one. An early diagnosis has many advantages, including time to
make choices that maximize quality of life, lessened anxieties about
unknown problems, a better chance of benefiting from treatment, and
more time to plan for the future.
For more information on warnings signs for Alzheimer’s and diagnosis
and treatment of the disease, go to
www.healthinfosource.com/topics. Click on “Alzheimer’s Disease.”
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