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May 2008 Vol. 27. No. 5
Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.
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Humboldt Senior Resource Center Back issues Table of Contents
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Upstairs, downstairs:
As we celebrate Older Americans Month, it is fitting to reflect on the miracle that’s happening before our eyes as the dream of the New Alzheimer’s Center is becoming a reality day by day. Take a drive by California and Sonoma streets in Eureka and see for yourself. In the past few weeks, windows, doors and siding have appeared, seemingly like mushrooms after a rain. Concrete walkways and a bus turn-around have replaced mud and rubble. The two-story day care, caregiver support and training facility, scheduled for completion by late October 2008, is growing before our eyes. Our vision of “Building Hope, Changing Lives” for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is being realized, thanks to generous support from local and national foundations and government agencies, service organizations, businesses, bequests and an outpouring of gifts from individuals in the North Coast community. Newspapers have lent their voices, providing education and awareness of dementia and the need for early response and highlighting the human side of a cruel disease. The New Alzheimer’s Center will address the many sides of Alzheimer’s. Downstairs, there will be a therapeutic, state-of-the-art day care program for people in the middle to later stages of the disease, designed to help maximize their social skills and retain their abilities. The building has been designed according to the latest knowledge of the best lighting, sound reduction, color, furniture, open areas and activities to enable people with dementia to tolerate the day care environment for as long as possible as their illnesses progress. People who enjoy a supportive and less stressful day care experience are calmer and manage better when they get home. The six hours of day care provide respite for the family caregivers who care for their loved ones around the clock. Seventy percent of people with dementia are cared for by family members. The time to rest, continue being employed, do errands, visit friends or care for other family members are critical to the well-being of the caregiver. Upstairs an array of caregiver support opportunities will help families become more competent and confident about caring for their loved ones. There will be groups where family members gather to share their experiences and get suggestions for coping with the challenges they face. One of our volunteers, who has been caring for his wife for many years as her Alzheimer’s disease progresses, confided that his support group literally saved his life, saying, “I’d be dead now if it wasn’t for them.” The second floor will also house the Alzheimer’s Resource Library, one-on-one counseling sessions and trainings for family and paid caregivers, medical professionals and medical office and long-term care facility staffs. The New Alzheimer’s Center will be the hub of activities offered by the newly formed Dementia Care Coalition, comprising local dementia care providers, including St. Joseph and Mad River Hospitals, medical offices, clinics, residential care and long-term care facilities staff. With funding from The California Endowment, the coalition will create and implement the county’s first dementia care plan to set a standard of best practices among all dementia care providers. Roz Keller is fund development coordinator for the Humboldt Senior Resource Center. Her e-mail is rkeller@humsenior.org. | |
Senior News
