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 related dementias. Call us if you have questions about:

• Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, medications and treatment options, brain health or care options

• How the Association can help you

• Caregiving tips and respite care options

• 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 contact-sewi@alz.org. We check the e-mail box daily and will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.

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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 though our Care Consultation services. These include:

• Assessment of needs

• Assistance with planning and problem solving

• Supportive listening

Call the Helpline at 800.272.3900 to discuss whether an individual care consultation would be appropriate and beneficial for you or your family, or one of your patients or clients (if you are a healthcare professional). You may also contact us by sending an email to: contact-sewi@lz.org

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Support Groups

We offer numerous support groups for caregivers and others dealing with Alzheimer's disease throughout our 11-county region. Groups are facilitated by trained volunteers and provide opportunities to explore feelings and share solutions to the challenges posed by dementia. The chapter sponsors several specialized support groups: all-male and all-female groups, bi-lingual groups, and groups for individuals with early stage Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

Support group listing.

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Education and Training Programs

We offer an extensive array of educational opportunities for various audiences - families and care partners, healthcare professionals, businesses, and the general public. Programs focus on a wide range of Alzheimer's-related topics, and include seminars, workshops, in-service trainings, and conferences.

View a list and calendar of our community Education programs for anyone interested in learning more about various aspects of Alzheimer's disease and caregiver issues.

View the Professional training page for programs designed for healthcare supervisors and direct care workers in assisted living, adult day centers, nursing homes, and other aging-related settings. Many of these programs fulfill continuing education requirements. 
 

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.

Learn more about Safe Return.

Numerous facilities and organizations in the chapter’s 11-county service area have volunteered and been trained as Safe Return® program partners. These facilities can provide information and help individuals complete the registration process.

View a list of Safe Return enrollment sites to find a location in your area.

Regional Services

The chapter's Regional Services Coordiators live and work in the local areas they serve and bring the chapter's core services directly to communities in those counties. Contact the chapter office at 414.479.8800 for the Regional Sevices Coordinator in your area or view a list of staff members and email addresses.

Multicultural Outreach Program

The Alzheimer's Association, Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter is dedicated to meeting the needs of culturally diverse and underserved populations affected by Alzheimer's disease or other dementia-related conditions through its Multicultural Outreach Program.   Multicultural Outreach staff help bring the chapter's core services to diverse communities and develop special programs to better serve constituent needs in collaboration with partner organizations throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Learn more about the Multicultural Outreach Program.

Workplace Education Program

The chapter launched this innovative education program in late 2005 to help businesses of all types and sizes address the growing challenges posed by Alzheimer's disease.

Learn more about Workplace Education opportunities.

Resource Center 

The Esther and Sol Blankstein Resource Center at the chapter office houses a collection of books, publications and videos on Alzheimer's disease, related disorders and caregiving strategies. Materials are available for loan and a select variety of books are available for purchase.

To access materials in our collection, visit the Resource Center during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) or call the Helpline.

• For a listing of books available for purchase, contact the Helpline at  800.272.3900.
• For a listing of books available for loan, view our Book Title List.
• For a listing of videos available for loan, view our Multimedia List.

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Publications

The national Alzheimer’s Association offers dozens of fact sheets and brochures about Alzheimer's diease, caregiving, and other issues, which can be downloaded and printed out. Click here for a listing.

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Local Resources and Referrals

We strive to maintain updated information on diagnostic clinics, home care, adult day care, care coordination, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, eldercare lawyers and transportation available in the southeastern Wisconsin region. 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 the Helpline - 800.272.3900 - or email your request to: contact-sewi@alz.org.

Learn about resources and services available in your county. Find your local county Department on Aging.

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Clinical trials

Clinical studies – what they are, why participate

Nationwide clinical trials index

Local Clinical Trials and Research Studies

Residents of Southeastern Wisconsin have an opportunity to help further progress in Alzheimer’s research by participating in local clinical trials and research studies. Following are brief descriptions of projects that are currently underway at several academic and clinical sites. For more information, please contact the individual listed with each study.

Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital - Milwaukee

The Memory Disorders Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital is always involved in research projects on Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss, and normal aging.  You, a relative, or a friend may be able to help!  

fMRI Studies - fMRI, or “functional magnetic resonance imaging”, is an exciting new technology for studying the brain.  At various times, we are looking for normal healthy volunteers, patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s disease, children of patients who have or had Alzheimer’s disease, and individuals with “mild cognitive impairment” for fMRI studies. For more information, please call Jennifer Jones, M.S., at 414.805.5232.

Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Studies - The Memory Disorders Program is actively involved in several investigational drug studies.  Participants are able to access the newest memory enhancing medications before they are available on the market.  Free evaluations, tests, and medication are provided during the study.  Participants generally must have a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer’s disease, be in reasonably good health, and be able to make monthly visits to the clinic over a several-month period.  At various times, normal healthy volunteers are also needed participate in these studies. For more information, please call Julie Sugden, R.N., M.S.N., or Jean Ravanelli-Meyer, R.N., at 414.805.5224.

Driving Studies - The goal of the driving studies is to examine whether physician recommendations concerning modification or retirement from driving may be improved by the use of a brief office-based test that quickly and accurately assesses potential driving impairment.  The results of this brief test are being compared to an actual on-the-road driving evaluation. For more information, please call Jennifer Jones, M.S., at 414.805.5232.

IPC Research – Waukesha

IPC Research is the Clinical Trials Program at Independent Psychiatric Consultants, S.C., under the medical direction of  Cary J. Kohlenberg, M.D., and Anne I. Koplin, M.D. A variety of Alzheimer's Disease Drug Studies (focusing on cognition, functional decline, and behavioral symptoms) are open for recruitment. Currently IPC Research is conducting two trials for individuals that have a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease. A clinical trial is a quality, confidential, no-cost health care option. Clinical trials must adhere to strict protocols, and all trials are monitored for good clinical practice under the code of federal regulations. Along with structured and consistent treatment, additional benefits at no cost to the participant include:

• Physical examinations
• Laboratory testing
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• MRI or CT scans
• Ongoing assessment of symptoms and possible side effects
• Opportunity to receive trial medication
• Possible compensation for participationPossible compensation for travel

For more information about current trials, contact study team members Nancy Daniels or Anne Dobratz at 262.513.0700.

Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute – Madison, Milwaukee, and throughout the state

Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention (WRAP) is a long-term research study of the adult children of persons diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease being conducted by the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute based at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. The aim of the project is to identify clues about the development and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease by studying a large group of persons at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease over a long period of time. Participants in WRAP provide health, lifestyle, and genetic information, and undergo memory and cognitive testing every four years. The study is currently recruiting persons of diverse racial/ethnic heritage in the greater Milwaukee area and across the state. For information about the study or how you can participate, contact Janet Rowley at 608.329.3306 or 800.417.4169 or visit the WAI website.

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