alzheimer’s
dementia may not be equipped with a support system to help alleviate the stress of providing 24/7 care.
According to the Urban Institute for the Alzheimer’s Association, 70 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias live at home. Most receive assistance from family members or friends. To help those caregivers, the Good Samaritan Society offers respite and adult day services at select centers across the country, including Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls Village and Good Samaritan Society – Pipestone.
These services allow primary caregivers to work or pursue other daytime activities while their loved one receives healthcare and social interaction in a stimulating and supportive environment.
Dr. Garnaas says her role as a neurologist is to treat caregivers as well as the patient to try to empower them with resources and information.
“They are not alone. Support groups validate feelings, teach coping mechanisms and create a sense of hope,” she says.
Straw, who has served as special care unit coordinator for eight of the 28 years she has worked at Good Samaritan Society – Pipestone, leads a monthly support group at the center.
Coping with
Like other rehabilitation and skilled care centers across the country, Good Samaritan Society – Boise Village has had enormous success with the Art Without Boundaries program. It is designed to help residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias improve their abilities to communicate through art therapy. As an example of its effectiveness, one Boise Village resident who participated in the program began to speak after years of silence.
Advocacy and research A major resource for individuals, families and caregivers is the Alzheimer’s Association, a global advocacy organization with chapters in all 50 states. It is committed to enhancing care and supporting and advancing research.
To help cope with her mother’s condition, Figland belongs to support groups and receives information from the Alzheimer’s Association on a regular basis. She has this advice:
“You have to educate yourself about the disease. Contact local, state and national organizations. There is so
“Love the person where they are, and allow yourself to grieve for that person who’s not there anymore” – Wendy Figland, family member
Jane Aspaas, a registered nurse, serves as the state executive director of the Association’s South Dakota office. She says there are two major deterrents in the Association’s mission to eliminate the disease and find new treatments: a lack of federal funding for research, and people not involved in clinical trials.
“We learn something from every single clinical trial, no matter what the outcome is,” Aspaas says. “So it’s important that people consider the possibility of joining a clinical trial. The Alzheimer’s Association is working diligently on the local, state and federal levels to increase federal funding and has made some great strides in that area.”
While so much is still unknown and research continues, people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias have a plethora of resources at their disposal.
much information out there. And you just have to have a sense of humor about it…all those people wake up to new friends each day. But most important, love the person where they are, and allow yourself to grieve for that person who’s not there anymore.”
Aspaas says her organization serves as a powerful tool for people as they seek information, support and encouragement.
“Even with Alzheimer’s, you can still live, you can still love, and you can still laugh every day. And that’s what we try to focus the families on — living each day as best they can for the best quality of life as long as they can.”
“Iris” is an example of resident art from Art Without Boundaries. It is for sale at
www.good-sam.com, search Boise, ID.
The Good Samaritan • 2011 • Vol. 45 • No. 2 9
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