Alzheimer's Disease Support and Resources
Receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is life changing for both patients and their loved ones. “Alzheimer's disease does not just impact the person, it impacts the entire family,” explains Stephen Gemmell, PhD of the Washington Regional Memory Disorders Clinic. “Once a diagnosis is made and we know the stage of a dementia, the next thing we focus on is how do we help this person and how do we help their family.”
Learning what resources are available to support both the patient and their care partners is important. Washington Regional and the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education have developed a network of people who are here to help.
“We have an array of resources,” Dr. Gemmell says. “The minute a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, we offer them and their family an opportunity to get involved in a new diagnosis workshop so that we can provide the family with education about what's going on in the brain. Why does a person maybe ask the same question multiple times? And how do I deal with that?”
Beyond helping families learn more about their loved one’s diagnosis, resources are also available to help relatives transition to the role of caregiver. “We also make sure that the family has all of the resources that they need to help be that care partner for that person with Alzheimer's disease, not only at that moment in time with their diagnosis, but also provide them with a care plan,” Dr. Gemmell says. “As that dementia progresses, we can make sure we offer services to them then as well, so they have a plan in place and if a crisis happens, they know who to call and how to get the resources they need. If we can't provide the resources here at Washington Regional and the Schmieding Center, then we have people that will find those resources outside of this area.”
Dr. Gemmell says additional support is available through other organizations. “We have a wealth of opportunities here in Northwest Arkansas with the Area Agency on Aging, the Alzheimer's Association and several other organizations that provide these absolutely crucial resources to our families.” Click here to find more resources for caregivers.