OMAHA, Neb. (PRWEB) November 20, 2017
Nearly every minute, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s, and more than five million Americans are currently living with the disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association, this number could reach 16 million by the year of 2050. With so many people impacted by the disease, research on the causes, treatment, prevention and a potential cure are critical.
November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health recently hosted the National Research Summit on Dementia Care. The two-day meeting at the National Institutes of Health brought together thought leaders to discuss the current status of Alzheimer’s care research and identify what is needed to improve the quality of care and outcomes for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
Home Instead Senior Care, a leading provider of specialized Alzheimer’s care, was among the participants in the summit. The group identified several areas where more research is needed, including the experience of living with the disease, the financial burden for families and caregivers and disparities on access to and delivery of care services.
“America is facing a crisis with the growing number of people impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” said Molly Carpenter, director of business and academic research at Home Instead Senior Care. “That’s why we support the research that we hope will someday provide answers and solutions to the families we serve.”
For family caregivers, understanding and caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be difficult. Home Instead Senior Care offers specialized care, information and tips to help caregivers navigate the challenges of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Keep these five tips in mind when caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia:
- Education is key. Understanding the symptoms and knowing what to expect will help caregivers provide care to their loved ones with a better sense of what they are experiencing.
- Be prepared. When caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, being prepared will make outings and get-togethers less stressful and more enjoyable. When traveling or bringing a loved one to a group setting, be sure to pack things they use on a day-to-day basis to bring familiarity to new places.
- Be conscious of communication. Regular communication with other family members or caregivers, and vice versa, is crucial. It’s also important to pay attention when communicating with the person affected. Be aware of tone, pitch and the rate of speech used to avoid confusion or misunderstandings.
- Be empathetic and encouraging. Try to understand someone else’s perspective before getting upset. Step back, think and then re-approach the situation to figure out the best way it should be handled.
- Create new memories by sharing the old. Even though they are experiencing memory loss, recollection of older memories are sometimes more vivid and easy to recall for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Reminiscing can create happy moments for families and loved ones.
Visit the Help For Alzheimer’s Families website for more information and tips on how to cope with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
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ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Neb., by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care network provides personalized care, support and education to help enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today this network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,000 independently owned and operated franchises that are estimated to annually provide more than 50 million hours of care throughout the United States and 12 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 65,000 CAREGiversSM worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. The Home Instead Senior Care network strives to partner with each client and his or her family members to help meet that individual’s needs. Services span the care continuum from providing companionship and personal care to specialized Alzheimer’s care and hospice support. Also available are family care education and support resources. At Home Instead Senior Care, it’s relationship before task, while striving to provide superior quality service.