Five new ways to ease Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias for people with the condition and for their caregivers now are available online.
The Alzheimer’s Association has developed “ALZConnected,” “Dementia and Driving Resource Center,” “Alzheimer’s Navigator,” “Care Team Calendar” and “Care Training” workshops.
ALZConnected is the first dedicated online social network community for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. People with Alzheimer’s and/or their caregivers can connect safely with others in similar situations, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at no charge.
Dementia & Driving Resource Center assists families with difficult decisions and conversations about when and how to stop driving. Four short videos depict scenarios that consider questions of driving and dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends that families discuss driving before a crisis, ideally while the person with Alzheimer’s can still participate in the conversation and decision-making. The videos treat situations such as how difficult it is for someone to stop driving, forming a contract with family for when driving becomes too difficult and tactics such as a physician’s “prescription” for a person who resists not driving. Tips and techniques for families, for conversations about driving, follow each video. How to recognize unsafe driving, information on other transportation, use of driving evaluations and sample driving contracts are offered.
Alzheimer’s Navigator enables families to get answers to their many questions and to plan personal coping. First they create a private, secure account. They identify topic areas to be explored further. They plot their own navigating through the disease by creating customized action plans. Links are provided to information, support and local resources.
Alzheimer’s Association Care Team Calendar can add relatives and friends who want to help the family implement action plans. Everyone is coordinated through the team calendar. Now when someone asks “What can I do to help?” the answer is as easy as the person’s giving his name and email address. The system then allows people to sign up and start helping.
Care Training workshops cover the start (10 warning signs) on through late stage care. These sections include:
The basics
Legal and financial planning for Alzheimer’s disease
“Living with Alzheimer’s” workshops for the person with the disease; for younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease; and for caregivers of early stage, middle stage and late stage disease.
These new offerings and many more are available at alz.org through Caregiver Center.
More helpers also are available in Alzheimer’s Association local Concho Valley support groups, in videos and printed information, as well as in personal assistance from the San Angelo all-volunteer branch office, 325-653-1724 and the 24/7 national hotline, 800-272-3900.
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