The Alzheimer’s Association - Florida Gulf Coast Chapter is here for you when & how you need us.
Please
click here to find
Programs & Activities scheduled in your area.
Support
The Alzheimer's Association
Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 200 languages. Our staff is highly trained and knowledgeable about all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Helpline provides emotional support to the caller as well as information about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, Chapter services and referrals to community resources. The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter maintains up to date information on home care, adult day care, care coordination, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, eldercare lawyers, financial planners and transportation.
Call us if you have questions about:
- Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, medications and treatment options, brain health and 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, whenever 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 an e-mail to
infofgc@alz.org. We check our e-mail daily and will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours Monday - Thursday or within 24 hours of a weekend or holiday.
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:
- Assessment of needs
- Assistance with planning and problem solving
- Supportive listening
We offer a variety of support groups for for caregivers and others dealing with Alzheimer's disease. Groups are facilitated by trained volunteers and Chapter staff.
No one needs to be alone when managing care for someone with dementia. Our online suite of support services can help you find and plan for care. Use them to widen your care options and help you cope with the challenges of Alzheimer’s.
To learn more about the Alzheimer's Association online care tools,
click here or click any of the services below:
Senior Housing Finder - Locate licensed facilities in your area
Search a current list of licensed assisted living residences, nursing homes and other types of senior housing.
Learn more
Lotsa Helping Hands - Coordinate help from family and friends
Create a private online group calendar to keep track of friends, family members and neighbors who offer help with caregiving tasks.
Learn more
Alzheimer's Navigator - Map out a plan to approach Alzheimer's
When facing Alzheimer's disease, there are a lot of things to consider. Alzheimer's Navigator helps guide Caregivers to answers by creating a personalized action plan and linking you to information, support and local resources.
Learn more
Caregivers Message Board - Connect with others online
Tap into a vibrant community of Alzheimer caregivers for tips and emotional support.
Learn more
Care Giving 101 - Learn new caregiving skills
Check out our portal for a list of learning options that will guide you in Alzheimer caregiving.
Learn more
Education
The Alzheimer’s Association offers dozens of fact sheets and brochures.
Click here for a listing.
Partnering With You Doctor: A Guide for Persons with Memory Problems and Their Care Partners. PDF files of this helpful booklet are available in both
English and
Spanish.
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 at 800.272.3900.
We offer many educational programs each year that address the specific interests of the general public, individuals with the Alzheimer's disease, their families and caregivers.
We also recognize that dealing with dementia is stressful under the best of circumstances and the pandemic only adds to the challenge. We want you to know that you’re not alone. We remain committed to providing care and support for all impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. We know host live virtual events through our
Virtual Brain Bus and
Virtual Caregiver College programs. In addition, these programs are also now offer on-demand for your convenience at
alzprogramsanytime.org.
The Chapter offers training tailored to meet the specific needs of any professional working with people living with dementia. Chapter staff are Certified Trainers for the Dementia Care Training mandated by the State of Florida as a requirement for Assisted Living Facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities and Hospice State licensing.
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. For assistance in Spanish or French please call our 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
Resources
The Alzheimer’s Association, in collaboration with MedicAlert Foundation, provides membership plans with 24/7 Wandering Support, a nationwide emergency response service for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia who wander or have a medical emergency. If a member wanders and is missing, one phone call immediately activates MedicAlert’s Emergency Response Team to help reunite the person living with dementia with his or her family. Members can choose from a variety of ID products, including bracelets and necklaces.
Please contact us at 800.272.3900 for more information.
Learn more.
The Chapter maintains 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: 800.272.3900
By e-mail: infofgc@alz.org
The Alzheimer’s Association Brain Bus is here to help. This statewide mobile outreach intiative raises awareness of Alzheimer’s and related dementias and addresses the benefits of early detection, early diagnosis, brain health and risk reduction. With two mobile units, the Brain Bus is able to travel throughout Florida with a focus on underserved communities that may have less direct access to healthcare.
Learn about:
- 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
- 10 Ways to Love Your Brain
- Steps to an Accurate Diagnosis
- Advancements in Research
The Brain Bus is funded in partnership with the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
Learn more.
In 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the Department of Health to make Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (ADRD) its own separate priority on the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). Florida is the only state to have ADRD as its own priority. The Alzheimer's Association in partnership with the Department of Elder Affairs serves as Chair for this Priority Area. One of the goals of the SHIP Priority workgroups is to strengthen the capacity to address Alzheimer's in Florida. The workgroup is working to accomplish this by establishing a comprehensive resource guide with federal, state, and local resources.
Download the SHIP Resource Guide (pdf).
Interested in learning about Clinical Trials you and/or your loved one with Alzheimer's or a related dementia may be eligible to participate in? Are you a researcher seeking participants for your Alzheimer's or dementia related clinical trial? The Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch®, 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. Click here to learn more about TrialMatch™.
Click here for more information.