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The Alzheimer’s Association is here to help. |
Helpline
The Alzheimer's Association Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 140 languages. Our staff is highly trained and knowledgeable about all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. Call us if you have questions about:
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Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, medications and treatment options, brain health and care options
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How the Association can help you
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Caregiving tips and respite care options
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Services available in your community and referrals
You can also call us for emotional support –– as often as you need. We know that living with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming at times. Remember, we are here for you –– all day, every day.
E-mail help
If you prefer, send us a message at geoachl@alz.org. We check the e-mail box daily and will respond to your inquiry within 48 hours.
Family Meetings
Issues and uncertainties relating to Alzheimer’s can be complicated and overwhelming to persons with the disease, their caregivers, and families. At times, family members may not agree on what the needs are or they may be uncertain of the best course to follow.
The Family Meeting Program provides personalized service to address the unique family and individual needs that arise throughout the disease process. The program allows families come together with professional staff, identify needs, and find solutions to move forward. The program can be beneficial when multiple family members are involved in the care planning and/or decision-making or even when there is just one caregiver who needs some extra support.
During the family meeting, professional staff can:
- Assess the needs of the person with dementia, the caregiver, and family.
- Provide education about the disease process
- Facilitate discussion among several family members who may participate in the caregiving responsibilities
- Explain options for difficult situations families may be facing
- Suggest positive caregiving approaches and coping techniques for Alzheimer’s care
- Assist the family in defining goals and problem-solving
- Make referrals to community resources and/or other Association programs
- Develop an action plan to manage the care of person with dementia and/or caregiver
- Offer follow-up and on-going assistance as needs change
- Help families plan for future care needs
This service can be provided through telephone, e-mail and in-person. In-person visits can be at the office or in the home (generally within an hour and a half drive of the chapter office). To make an appointment for a family meeting, please call the local chapter office.
Phone: 1.800.272.3900
E-mail: geachl@alz.org
Message boards
The Alzheimer’s Association message boards and chat rooms provide an online community for persons with Alzheimer's, caregivers and care providers. Our message boards have thousands of registered members from around the United States and thousands more who refer to the stories and information that is available 24 hours a day.
Join the Alzheimer’s Association online community.
Publications
The Alzheimer’s Association offers dozens of fact sheets and brochures. Click here for a listing.
The Chapter's Resource Center contains over 100 books, 80 videos, and several periodicals. We also have a collection of newsletters from Association Chapters all over the country. There are presentation kits and visuals to use for in-service presentations. All materials are available on a 2 week loan basis. We also have access to our national resource library that is the nation's largest Alzheimer's library. The Resource Center is open during Chapter office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30.
Books for Sale
The chapter offers several books for sale. They include the following:
Understanding Difficult Behaviors: Some Practical Suggestions for Coping with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Illnesses - $15.00
Key Elements of Dementia Care - $23.00
How to Care for Your Parents - $5.00
Speaking Our Minds - $15.00
A Dignified Life - $10.00
Between Two Worlds - $10.00
When Love gets Tough: The Nursing Home Decision - $6.00
Sarah R. Royer-A Young Alzheimer's Patient: My Memory of Her - $9.00
The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care - $20.00
The Best Friends Book of Alzheimer's Activities - $30.00
The 36 Hour Day - $8.00
The Forgetting - $14.00
Newsletter
The Greater East Ohio Area Chapter Newsletters are distributedon a quarterly basis, free-of-charge, to those on our mailing list. Contains current research news, caregiving information, program & services updates, legal & medical news, volunteer and special event information. To be added to the mailing list, contact your local office.
Past Editions:
Winter 2005
Spring 2006
Summer 2006
Fall 2006
Winter 2006
Spring 2007
Summer 2007
Fall 2007
Winter 2007
Spring 2008
To be added to the newsletter mailing list or if you prefer help the chapter reduce costs and view newsletters online, please email name, address and zip code with the subject line: "Please add to newsletter mailing list" or "Please remove from mailing list" to: Liz Mulroy.
Educational programs
We offer many educational programs each year that address the specific interests of the general public, individuals with the disease and their families.
Professional training
We offer classroom and Web-based training for healthcare supervisors and direct care workers in assisted living and nursing homes. Many programs allow you to earn CEUs.
Professional training listings.
Multilingual information
Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders that cause dementia know no boundaries. Many individuals and families in ethnic and cultural minority groups are in need of solid information about Alzheimer’s disease and health resources.
Safe Return®
Alzheimer's Association Safe Return® is a nationwide identification, support and enrollment program that provides assistance when someone with Alzheimer's or a related dementia wanders and becomes lost. Assistance is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If an enrollee is missing, one phone call immediately activates a community support network to help reunite the lost person with his or her caregiver. For families who might find the $55 enrollment fee a hindrance to enrolling in the program, the Alzheimer’s Association has received funding and will cover the cost of the initial enrollment, but due to limited funding, this funding will be administered on a first come, first served basis. After the first year of enrollment, a $20 annual program fee is charged to help Safe Return respond to the more than 6,000 calls for help each year.
Safe Return Grant Request for Kit
Local resources and referrals
We maintain updated information on home care, adult day care, care coordination, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, eldercare lawyers and transportation available in the community. Our staff and trained professionals can help assess whether a specific care provider meets the needs of an individual with Alzheimer’s.
For more information, please contact us:
By phone: 1.800.272.3900
By e-mail: geachl@alz.org
Clinical trials index
Medina county respite
Funds have been made available from the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging for families to benefit from respite care - a break in caregiving either in the home, at adult day centers, or long term care facilities. If you are a caregiver living with a person who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, reside in Medina County and do not participate in Area Agency on Aging’s PASSPORT program, you may qualify for these respite funds.
For more information on this program or information on how to apply, please contact Michele Papp, Family Service Coordinator, at (800) 272-3900.
