Twenty-nine years and counting…that’s how long the Alzheimer’s Association has been committed to empowering individuals and families to fight back against the horrible effects brought on by the devastating disease know as Alzheimer’s. A disease that can turn a strong and confident homemaker into a confused and forgetful dependent is not one we want to see become an epidemic.

As an organization that focuses on individuals who rely on caregivers to help them perform their activities of daily living (ADL), the Alzheimer’s Association recognizes that empowering the caregiver and family is crucial to how that family survives the trauma brought on by the disease.

Let’s put a face on the term caregiver – Almost 10 million Americans provide unpaid care for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. These unpaid caregivers, usually family members, are more likely to be women than men. About 60% of unpaid caregivers are wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters and other female relatives, friends or neighbors. These caregivers provide 8.4 billion hours of unpaid care – a contribution to the nation valued at $89 billion.

With the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s comes the sudden realization that the family ties will change immediately. Everyone wants to do the right thing for their loved one, but they all want to be treated “fairly” when it comes to the actual responsibility – physical, emotional, financial and psychological — for the person with dementia.

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease requires an enormous commitment, and is a tremendous responsibility. Many caregivers therefore experience high levels of emotional distress and depression. These conditions may be brought on by the situation’s impact on the caregiver’s health, employment, income and financial security. This is a time when the caregiver should be able to look to family members for support and encouragement, but because of the stress that is added to the equation, this pulling together does not come easily.

To relieve some of the stress, the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter recommends that caregivers and other family members become educated about Alzheimer’s, and take advantage of the resources that are available. There are programs and services in place to support caregivers and their families. Core services offered by the Alzheimer’s Association include the Helpline/Contact Center 800-272-3900 a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week connection to the Alzheimer’s Association – an around the clock resource for accessing information, obtaining referrals, or for caregivers to have someone to talk to for comfort and reassurance. The toll-free number is also available in over 140 languages and is staffed by professionals and trained volunteers.

There are also over 180 Caregiver Support Groups in 18 counties throughout the tri-state region, and “Although each situation may be unique, these groups are necessary to help caregivers realize that they are not alone and they can help one another gain insight, work through difficult situations, and gain coping skills, therefore empowering one another to move forward with the determination and strength necessary to care for their loved one as best they can,” according to Marilyn Dyson, in charge of Volunteer Services for the Chapter.

All family members are urged to attend support group meetings. This enables them to recognize the challenges that the caregiver faces daily. In addition to the on-going support groups, there are also caregiver training workshops and other community education programs available.

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease that kills the brain and eventually the person, and at this time, there are no effective treatments to stop the progression of the disease. There are 78 million baby boomers that are going to turn 65 in the next three years. Ten million will likely get Alzheimer’s; there are approximately 5.2 million Americans currently living with the disease and by mid-century, that number is expected to increase to as many as 16 million; every 71 seconds, someone in this country develops Alzheimer’s disease. Experts predict that by 2010, there will be almost a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s disease each year.

For more information on the Alzheimer’s Association, or to register for upcoming events visit www.alz.org/desjsepa.