The area program specialist with the Alzheimer’s Association said she hopes to start a support group for caregivers in Great Bend as soon as a facilitator can be found. Meanwhile, advocates are gearing up for Great Bend’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, opening at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in Jack Kilby Square. There will be a ceremony at 6 p.m. and walking will start after that.
More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia and that number is expected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050. The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way in funding research and education, said Missy Zimmer, program specialist for the association’s Central and Western Kansas Chapter.
“Our goal is to be the gateway for resources and support,” Zimmer said.
She led a community forum last week at the Great Bend Senior Center, answering questions and hearing what families say are the biggest needs.
She acknowledged that a support group for dementia caregivers already exists in Barton County. It meets from 5:30-7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at Hoisington Public Library and is hosted by Clara Barton Hospital and Clinics and the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. To learn more about that support group call Macy Ingham, R.N., mingham@cbhks.com or 620-292-0830, or Michelle Niedens, L.S.C.S.W., cniedens2@kumc.edu or 913-945-7310.
For the millions currently living with dementia, more than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care, Zimmer said.
“These caregivers provided more than 16 billion hours, valued at over $271 billion. When you talk about the amount of money, it’s a huge financial burden,” she said.
Those who attended the community forum said one of the biggest needs in Barton County is help with placement in a facility that specializes in Alzheimer’s and help for family members. Some wished there was a community of volunteers willing to sit in a home and give a caregiver a break.
The desired support group would meet once a month for an hour, Zimmer said. She wouldn’t be available for every meeting because her duties cover 69 counties, so she needs to find someone trained to lead it.
Alzheimer’s and other dementias
The word “dementia” is an umbrella term for loss of memory and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life, Zimmer said, comparing it to the word “cancer.” There are different types of dementia, and the type affecting the greatest number of people is Alzheimer’s disease. Two abnormal brain structures called plaques and tangles are the main features of Alzheimer’s. Scientists believe they damage and kill nerve cells. There is no cure but treatments are being developed to prevent the disease or slow its progress. Mild cognitive impairment can be an early stage. Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging — it’s a progressive brain disease that gets worse over time.
Other common dementias are:
• Vascular dementia - A decline in thinking skills that happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or reduced so that brain cells can’t get important oxygen and nutrients.
• Lewy body dementia (LBD) - A progressive dementia related to buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein that damages brain cells. Early symptoms include hallucinations and sleep problems.
• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) - A group of progressive disorders. Progressive cell degeneration causes FTD in the brain’s frontal lobes and temporal lobes.
An online community for caregivers and anyone affected by Alzheimer’s can be found at alzconnected.org.
