Alzheimer’s Support Event Planned for July 23

July 22, 2024

When a family learns that their loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it often confirms their fears and explains their suspicions as they observed their loved one experience lapses in time or memory. But it also opens a whole new set of questions that can be very difficult to answer without proper support. That’s why Fitzgibbon Hospital and The Living Center have partnered with the Greater Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to bring the Empowered Caregiver Series to Marshall.

This free Alzheimer’s disease support event will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, in the classroom suite on the second floor of Fitzgibbon Hospital.

 “We held our first meeting a couple of months ago, and it was very well attended. We got tremendous feedback about the presenter and the content she provided,” said Trisha Ussery, LPN, MDS Coordinator at The Living Center and coordinator for the Alzheimer’s support program.

This month’s topics will include:

-The role of a caregiver and changes you may experience

-Using a person-centered care approach

-Building a support team

-Managing caregiver stress

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible degradation of the brain that slowly destroys the memory and reasoning ability. In its final stages, Alzheimer’s literally affects an individual’s ability to perform basic tasks. According to the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. But recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people.

Though the meeting is free to attend, registration is requested. Please visit https://tinyurl.com/Fitzgibbon ECGJ or call (800)272-3900.