Alzheimer’s Association News:ALBUQUERQUE ― Families facing Alzheimer’s disease will have access to a free, seven-week education course in Los Alamos offered by the Alzheimer’s Association, New Mexico Chapter.
The “Savvy Caregiver Program,” course is each Saturday from Aug. 19 through Oct. 7 (except on Labor Day weekend) at the Betty Ehart Senior Center in Los Alamos. Each class is 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The course is free and open to all.
This evidence-based training aims to teach caregivers practical techniques for interacting with loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, and for understanding and managing their behavior. It also imparts tools for long-term planning and for reducing stresses common to Alzheimer’s caregivers. The course explains the signs, impacts and pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.
To register, or for further information, contact David Davis at 505.473.1297 or dldavis@alz.org.
Class size is limited and they do fill up quickly. Call now to register. Participants of the Savvy Caregiver Program may be reimbursed for the cost of having others tend to their loved one while they attend the classes.
The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease is growing – and growing fast. Today, 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including an estimated 200,000 under the age of 65. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the US, and nearly two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease – 3.3 million – are women. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia*.
Every 66 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s dementia. By 2050, someone in the United States will develop Alzheimer’s dementia every 33 seconds. By that same year, as many as 16 million will have the disease.
Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in America. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated to total $259 billion in 2017, increasing to $1.1 trillion by mid-century.
Alzheimer’s takes a devastating toll – not just on those with the disease, but on entire families. In our own state, 38,000 New Mexicans are suffering from Alzheimer’s. They are cared for by 106,000 unpaid caregivers, many of whom are members of their own families.
If you need help, call us: The Alzheimer’s Association, New Mexico Chapter offers many free services and resources to caregivers and families facing the disease: support groups, care consultations, respite, educational presentations, safety programs, information and referral and more. Contact any of our 5 branch offices in the state: Albuquerque (Main Office) 505.266.4473, Santa Fe (Northeastern New Mexico) 505.473.1297, Farmington (Northwestern New Mexico) 505.326.3670, Roswell (Southeastern New Mexico) 575.624.1552 and Las Cruces (Southwestern New Mexico) 575.647.3868.
You can also call our 24/7 Helpline anytime, day or night for support or for more information: 1.800.272.3900.
*Source for all statistics: The 2017 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report at www.alz.org/facts.
