No matter how well someone is doing, Alzheimer’s can creep in unexpectedly and change things dramatically for a loved one and their families. From the loss of memory, speech, and the tendency to wander, the constant care required for a loved one often leads their families to unexpected decisions they hadn’t considered otherwise. For some, sending their loved one with Alzheimer’s to a memory care facility is the best option, but those who can’t afford it have to care for them at home. That’s where organizations such as Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (ACA) come in. ACA not only provides information about Alzheimer’s and resources for caregivers at home, but also encourages research participation throughout Alabama.
As shocking as Alzheimer’s can be, the wisest way to reduce the surprise is by educating everyone early on. Along with a newsletter emailed to 1,000 families twice a year, ACA also provides training to families and professionals for Alzheimer’s care, hundreds of hours of group counseling to support those providing care, and an “Alzheimer’s in Alabama” conference, which informs attendees of the latest in research, prevention, patient care, and strategies for caregiver health. For family needs, ACA offers scholarships that enable low-income families to attend a daycare center of their choice, care baskets of food and supplies for the holidays, and bracelets that keep track of their loved ones as they wander through radio emissions. But the service families are most grateful for is the continence products delivered to their door each month. Doing so allows hundreds of families to spend the extra money they have on bills and medications that they couldn’t afford otherwise, and it all started from a surprising scenario. “We got a call from someone who did not have money for continence products and they were having to wrap their loved one in garbage bags,” said Miller Piggott during our interview. But since they’ve started the program, 200 families have been served in 2018, with 83 more added that year.
All that work doesn’t mean, however, that creative endeavors have gone to the wayside. Not only does ACA encourage daycare center participants to enjoy art and music through their daycare initiative, but they also publish a calendar of Alzheimer’s art and sell art through their Garden Art Party each year, with the next one happening at Iron City on May 11, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. CDT. To top it all off, they’re also partnering with the Brain Health Institute to learn how one’s habits, diet, and exercise affect their brain’s health through the brain H.E.A.L.T.H. protocol.
In the end, all these endeavors support ACA’s mission: to provide information to those dealing with Alzheimer’s and the resources that enable families to keep their loved ones at home. For a list of information and resources, visit https://alzca.org/understanding-dementia-senility-and-alzheimers/. For those interested in volunteering, they have a walk each Fall, occasional speeches, and a junior board that helps grow the organization. If those opportunities sound exciting, give them a call at (205) 871-7970 to discuss them with ACA. Any help is welcome and much appreciated!
Suddenly Disabled 