According to the latest “Facts and Figures” released by the Alzheimer’s Association, friends and family of those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias provided an estimated 17.9 billion hours of unpaid care in 2014 and nearly 40 percent of those caregivers suffer from depression.
Melissa Stables, director of Memory Care at Goldenview Living, a group of care homes for those with memory loss, believes that some of this depression may be caused by an increase in stress from caregiving, specifically because of a lack of resources for training and understanding about the diseases.
“Oftentimes, caregivers become so overwhelmed and lack the knowledge about this disease and ways in which to better care for their loved ones,” Ms. Stables said. “Learning techniques to reduce the risk of problematic behaviors and better ways to communicate with loved ones can help reduce the chance of caregiver burnout.”
All of these topics will be discussed in a free program at the Cranbury Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
The training seminar for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. This event is open to the public and will cover basic techniques to increase the quality of life for someone with memory loss as well as ways for caregivers to cope with their new role and responsibilities.
The education program will also briefly describe Alzheimer’s and dementia as well as go into depth about different caregiving techniques caregivers may utilize throughout the different stages of the disease.
The session will also review the different alternative living options that are available to those with the disease. To RSVP call 732-820-9700.
