Senior Assisted Living Blog

As awareness spreads throughout the United States on the topic Alzheimer's we note that the month of September is being recognized as World Alzheimer Month, as the condition also gains consideration across the other countries and cultures.

The national and global recognition is important, but at Provision Living we never forget the real impact of the disease mostly hits home at the very local level: families. In a Dear Abby letter published by the Chicago Sun Times, a reader asks for help in dealing with a parent who "can’t drive, she can’t get to the store, the bank or anywhere else unless one of her kids takes her. She does nothing all day but watch TV and eat sweets."

Unfortunately this situation is all to common, and the next steps are important to focus on with intentional decision-making. Safey and health are the paramount concerns, and home health care and most likely taking up residence in an assisted living community with memory impairment facilities and resources are critical considerations.

Additionally, it is important those handling the person with dementia first-hand take steps to get support and information on how to cope with this significant change in life. The Alzheimer's Association offers support groups nationally. These groups meet regularly and shepard caregivers, friends and relatives into the process of adjusting and engaging the changes taking place with their loved one.

Thankfully, the times are changing and awareness and acceptance of Alzheimer's is on the upswing, notably so in the case of pop singer and guitarist Glen Campbell, who is finishing up a farewell tour after recently being diagnosed with the condition. Campbell's Forget Me Not tour and the publicity associated with his announcement of the Alzheimer's condition continue to shine the spotlight on memory impairment and the realities of getting on with life once diagnosed.

Each one of these public acknowledgements, gestures and notables serves to smooth the way toward more public awareness and acceptance, as well as build momentum for research, policies and care models developing in response to the disease's impact on families and societes, locally, nationally and globally.