In 1983, President Ronald Reagan, who was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. President Bill Clinton named the week of Thanksgiving as a time to honor caregivers in 1997, and that has expanded to National Family Caregivers Month. As an organization founded by caregivers, the Alzheimer’s Association applauds caregivers and hopes to make their efforts a little easier year round with an innovative resources that have been designed specifically with families in mind.
The Alzheimer’s Association offers free resources to guide families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, including:
- Alzheimer’s Association Helpline (1.800.272.3900): This toll-free, 24/7 Helpline is one of a kind; the Helpline is staffed by highly-trained members and provides information and guidance in more than 170 languages and dialects.
- The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center (alz.org/care): This site provides more than 70 pages of information and easy access to resources, such as:
- Community Resource Finder — Find local resources.
- Care Team Calendar — Coordinate caregiving responsibilities among family and friends.
- Safety Center — Access information and resources for safety inside and outside of the home, wandering and getting lost and driving.
- ALZConnected™, powered by the Alzheimer’s Association (alzconnected.org): This is the first social networking community designed for people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. ALZConnected is a specialized social network that allows members to connect and communicate with people who understand their unique challenges 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They can also pose questions and offer solutions to dementia-related issues, create public and private groups organized around a dedicated topic and contribute to message boards. ALZConnected combines the features of many social networking sites and the popular Alzheimer’s Association’s message boards. Members create “connections” by extending and receiving invitations.
There are 97,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and 286,000 unpaid caregivers in Maryland, according to the Alzheimer’s Association® 2014 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts & Figures. The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Maryland Chapter will continue to assist families in a variety of ways to best meet their needs, including local programs such as:
- Support groups: Peer or professionally led groups for caregivers and others dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. All support groups are facilitated by trained individuals. Select locations offer specialized groups for children, individuals with younger-onset and early-stage Alzheimer’s, adult caregivers and others with specific needs.
- Education programs: We provide training, classes and workshops to caregivers, family and healthcare professionals. In addition to these, the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Maryland Chapter holds annual conferences statewide
- 24/7 Helpline: Reliable information and support to people with memory loss, caregivers, health care professionals and the public. Call toll-free anytime, day or night at 1.800.272.3900.
- Become an advocate: Join advocates nationwide in leading the fight to end Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit alz.org/advocacy.
For more information on Alzheimer’s disease or available resources, visit alz.org/maryland or call 1.800.272.3900.
About the Alzheimer’s Association
TheAlzheimer’s Association isthe world’sleading voluntaryhealth organization in Alzheimer’scare, supportand research. Our missionistoeliminate Alzheimer’s diseasethrough the advancementofresearch; toprovide and enhance careand supportforallaffected;andtoreduce theriskofdementia through the promotion ofbrain health. Ourvision isa world withoutAlzheimer’s. Formore information, visit www.alz.org.
