Alzheimer’s and Dementia Universities Celebrate Successful Education Series

By J.T. Hunter

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease every 67 seconds. With 36,000 West Virginians estimated to have the disease in 2014 and a potential 25 percent increase by 2025, the association’s West Virginia chapter is working diligently to educate members of the Mountain State.

The chapter recently wrapped up another season of its Alzheimer’s and Dementia Universities (ADU). In 2016, ADU was held in seven different cities across the state: Bluefield, Kearneysville, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Wheeling, Charleston and Bridgeport. Both family and professional caregivers attended, seeking additional tools and resources to help make them the best care partner possible.

The full-day session provided attendees with an opportunity to hear from reliable experts in each region. Physicians in the geriatric field presented a session titled “Working with your Health Care Provider,” and attorneys specializing in elder law and long-term care planning presented “Legal and Financial Considerations: Planning for Care.”

Dementia care specialists with the Alzheimer’s Association also presented “The Alzheimer’s Journey” to help families learn about what to expect and how to cope, no matter what stage their loved one is in.

“I attended the seminar on August 11 provided by the Alzheimer’s Association and am so very glad that I did,” said one attendee of the Charleston session. “The agenda, speakers, staff and facilities were all second to none. I learned so much. My mother has the early onset of dementia, and I found all of the information very applicable to her.”

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and numbers are on the rise in West Virginia. Despite the prevalence of the disease, common misconceptions and misinformation still surround it. At this time, the disease is progressive, degenerative and ultimately fatal. It is often misdiagnosed, and families struggle to find accurate information about how to best care for their loved ones. This increases frustration and stress levels for families and care partners, as well as the person with dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s vision is simple: a world without Alzheimer’s disease. Until that day, the mission is to provide education, care and support for all affected by Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association works to ensure that every care partner has all the right tools in their toolbox so they can better understand this disease and provide the best care for their loved one.

More than 275 West Virginians attended a session of ADU in 2016, and the 2017 series is already in the planning stages.

About the Author

J.T. Hunter is the family services coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association, West Virginia chapter. He presents community workshops across the chapter region and is active in all legislative efforts related to Alzheimer’s, both federal and state, and one of his main job duties is working with helpline callers and families facing the challenges of Alzheimer’s in West Virginia. Hunter is also certified by the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification to provide professional trainings to long-term care facilities. He has a degree in criminal justice from West Virginia State University and provides a great wealth of professional and personal knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease.