Support |
Education |
Resources |
Helpline 800.272.3900
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 and other forms of dementia. Call us if you have questions about:
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Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, medications and treatment options, brain health or 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.
Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch
Trial Match is a free service that makes it easy for people with Alzheimer's, caregivers, families and physicians to locate clinical trials based on personal criteria (diagnosis, stage of disease) and location.
Right now, we are in the midst of an exciting time. More than 100 research studies pertaining to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are underway and recruiting volunteers. Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch lets you search these trials quickly and easily. It also narrows results to those trials where there is a reasonable chance to be accepted for enrollment. This saves time for both you and the researcher. Enrolling the right participants helps researchers accurately measure the effect of a treatment. Learn more here
E-mail help
If you prefer, send us a message to infocentralcoast@alz.org. We check the e-mail box daily and will respond to your inquiry in a timely manner.
Care Consultation
Our professional staff is dedicated to helping people navigate through the difficult decisions and uncertainties people with Alzheimer’s and their families face at every stage of the disease. We can provide care consultation services to you by telephone, e-mail or in person. These include:
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Assessment of needs
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Assistance with planning and problem solving
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Supportive listening
Contact us for more information:
Phone: Call us toll-free, anytime, day or night, at 800.272.3900
Support groups
Family members and caregivers have the opportunity to share information, develop caregiving skills, and provide mutual support in a small group setting. Our trained facilitators offer groups catered specifically to adult children caregivers, spouse caregivers, and persons with dementia, as well as general support groups. Support group listing
Respite Care
Each of our counties has dedicated funds designed to provide limited respite for caregivers. In Ventura County, through a grant from the Area Agency on Aging, we are able to support caregivers. In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, a family impacted by this disease generously allocated some funds for respite care. For more information and an application for respite, contact the following: In Ventura County: Norma Featherston, senior care consultant,at 805.484.6028; Santa Barbara: Luciana Cramer, care consultant, at 805.892.4259; San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria: Sara Bartlett, area director, at 805.547.3830.
Diagnosis: Alzheimer's — What's next?
The diagnosis is scary enough. Alzheimer's. Dementia. But what happens now? What do you do? Check out What Now? Written by our staff, it is an easy-to-use reference guide.
Message BoardsThe 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 are 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
We also maintain a variety of educational materials (brochures, videos, audiotapes and books) on topics related to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. To learn more about our library, call us toll-free at 800.272.3900.
Our well-known and greatly appreciated book for family caregivers is now available on our website. Our 150-page book, "What Now? Caregiver’s Quick Guide and Resource Manual," was written by our staff as an easy-to-use educational and how-to guidebook. Download "What Now?" here.
eNewsletter
Our biannual newsletter provides current information on Alzheimer's disease, research, advocacy, events, classes and more! Sign up for our chapter's eNewsletter and read our Newsletter archives.
Educational programs
We offer many educational programs that address the specific interests of the general public, individuals with the disease and their families. Our Speakers Bureau provides short presentations to community groups and organizations who want to learn more about the Alzheimer's Association and what we provide to our communities. Our workshops for family members provide more in-depth instruction on caregiving skills, planning for the future as care needs change, and how to use local resources along the way. Our training for professionals in the eldercare industry provide for specific skill development in numerous areas of care responsibilities and tasks. Education program listing.
Training for Professionals
We offer educational programs for all levels of care-staff in assisted living residences, homecare agencies, nursing homes and hospitals. Programs can be from 2- to 16-hours long with CEUs available. The Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations and related programs are designed to improve the quality of care and improve industry standards of performance. 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.
MedicAlert® + Safe Return
An average of six out of ten people with Alzheimer’s will wander or become lost at some point, if not repeatedly. This can be dangerous, even life threatening, and the stress can weigh heavily on family and caregivers. To help prepare for the future, and to assist in carrying the burden in the case that your loved one does become lost, the MedicAlert + Safe Return program is in place to help reunite loved ones with the person with dementia who has wandered.
Alzheimer's Association MedicAlert® + 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.
Learn more about MedicAlert + Safe Return
Safety Center
Alzheimer's causes a number of changes in the brain and body that may affect safety. Depending on the stage of the disease, these can include changes in judgment, abstract thinking, sense of time/place and behavior.
As the disease progresses, the person's abilities will change. So situations that are not of concern today may become potential safety issues in the future.
Taking measures to ensure safety at all times can help prevent injuries, and it can help people with dementia feel relaxed and less overwhelmed. Use the tips and resources we have available for you to evaluate your surroundings for any particular dangers and change them to meet individual needs.
Local resources and referrals
We maintain updated information on home care, adult day programs, 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: Any time day or night, 800.272.3900
By email: infocentralcoast@alz.org
