by Scott Middleton, CEO, Agape Senior
There is an epidemic going on in our country that is forcing families into tough care decisions for their aging loved ones.
The number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise and is expected to continue to escalate at an alarming rate. Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, causes memory loss and impairs other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with the activities of daily living.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are five FDA approved drugs for the treatment of this disease. Unfortunately these drugs do not cure the underlying causes of the disease and only temporarily help with memory and thinking problems in about half the people that take them. Many of the new drugs in development aim to modify the disease process itself by impacting one or more of the many wide ranging brain changes that Alzheimer’s causes.
Many times, an older husband or wife will hide from their children that their spouse has Alzheimer’s. They will care for their spouse with this disease and keep it a secret from family and friends for many years. The adult children will then be caught off guard and unprepared when the parent acting as the caregiver passes-away. They soon discover that the surviving parent has Alzheimer’s and is incapable of taking care of him or herself any longer. Then what do they do? Agapé Senior believes that education is critical in providing the most appropriate care for people affected by this disease. Caregivers need to know the symptoms, techniques, progression and available treatment options.
Agapé Senior has both an aggressive internal education program as well as a comprehensive community out-reach program. Agapé Senior is taking the lead and is committed to bringing the latest techniques and education to family and professional caregivers throughout the state.
Agapé Senior is proud to offer Alzheimer’s and Dementia training free of charge to community and church groups, police, fire, and EMS agencies, and other health care companies. Contact us at 1-800-411-2427 for more information.
