News Archives | Page 35 of 46 | Anthem Memory Care

Most of us will readily acknowlege the power of music in our lives. While our individual tastes may differ, we have our favorite songs and delight to the memories they bring back to us. For individuals with dementia, music takes on added importance. This is often because music has the power to connect to those with dementia in ways that other sensory experiences may not.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, studies show that music can lessen behavioral issues and even reduce levels of agitation, common among those struggling with dementia. This is true even as the disease enters later stages. While an individual may forget the identity of the person sitting next to them, they may still be able to tap their feet to a song they recall from their youth. Music can continue to communicate to us, even when verbal communication has become difficult.

What does this mean for family caregivers of loved ones with dementia? It means that there may be ways to engage and connect through music when your words can no longer reach them. Here are some tips to harness the power of music and use it in a positive way, giving it every chance of breaking through to your loved one:

What were their favorite tunes? Today with internet downloads available, it’s much easier to search and locate vintage music. You can even share snippets of songs with your loved one. Let them choose what they want to hear.
Find a music source that doesn’t have commercial interruptions. While this is a mere annoyance for those of us with normal cognitive abilities, for someone with dementia, a commercial interruption can create unnecessary confusion leading to higher levels of anxiety.
Select the music to create a mood. When your loved one is feeling anxious, pick a more tranquil music selection to soothe and lessen their anxiety. If you are encouraging them to get up and do some light exercises, select something more upbeat to pick up the pace.
Encourage your loved one to sing along to the music. Start by leading off yourself and let your loved one join in. You can tap your feet, clap and dance to add further enjoyment.
Know when to turn the music down or stop altogether. Music is stimulating for all of us, even more so for those with dementia. Monitor your loved one’s reaction to the music session. Are they enjoying it? Or are they showing signs of becoming overstimulated? Lower the volume or turn the music off. Your sessions will be more enjoyable.

The natural connection to music is powerful, even in later stages of dementia. As the Alzheimer’s Organization notes, Ashley Campbell, widow of country music legend, Glen Campbell, was able to stay connected with her husband through his music until the very end of his life. Music was such a major part of their lives and both of them found solace in the familiarity of sharing that music with each other and those around them. You can too!

Porter Place Memory Care is proud to announce that they have been selected as one of 2020 Best of Senior Living Award winners. SeniorAdvisor.com, the largest ratings and reviews site for senior care and services in North America and Canada, provided this same award to Porter Place in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The Best of 2020 Award is based on the online reviews written by seniors and their families. This exclusive designation honors the top two to three percent of senior care providers across the United States and Canada, by tabulating over 240,000 family-created reviews to find the highest quality care providers for this honor and prestigious award.

Enough can’t be said for the positive impact that a sense of purpose makes on individuals challenged with dementia. The same can be said for interactions with animals. So imagine the impact of putting the two together: doing purposeful, community service work for animals.

The residents of Chelsea Place Memory Care in Aurora, Colorado were delighted to participate in a project to serve the local dog parks. The project involved building what are referred to as “dog stick libraries” – crates built to hold sticks, tennis balls and other dog toys.

Local students from Regis Jesuit High School got together with Chelsea Place residents to saw, hammer, nail and build the crates. The crates were then sent to local dog parks around the area. This unique program helps young people learn more about dementia and gives them a valuable opportunity to interact in a positive, constructive way with them. And, while a few of the students worked with wood before, many had not. But all enjoyed the process, learning to work together and gaining the benefit of feeling they had accomplished something very special.

The program caught the attention of local news outlets, including the Denver Post who sent out a reporter to interview the students, residents and staff. Jenni Dill, Life Engagement Director for Chelsea Place explained to the reporter how the process helps students learn how to get into a different sort of reality that accompanies dementia. “One of the things the girls learn is wherever someone’s at in their reality, you just join them. So if he thinks he lives on the moon then, hey, we’re getting on the rocket ship. That’s just the way it goes,” she said.

And, as is so often the case when students get together with seniors, the students came away from the experience having learned a few things about word working from some of the residents who had worked with wood before. “If I’m being honest, the first day I had to remember these people have dementia but, now, I can honestly say I forget it half the time,” Juliette Bruner told the Denver Post.

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Students from a local high school joined with Chelsea Place Memory Care residents to build special “dog stick” libraries with wooden crates to distribute to dog parks throughout Aurora, Colorado. Their crate building session was written up in the Denver Post. You can read more on this here

The holidays are over. If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, it’s back to the reality of a long winter ahead, and the concerns that revolve around the responsibilities you shoulder every day. The amount of stress you carry with those responsibilities cannot be overstated. Stress is in all our lives but, for caregivers, it can seem endless and without help in sight.

The Alzheimer’s Association identifies the 10 symptoms of caregiver stress as follows:

Denial about the disease. “I know mom is going to get better.”
Anger at the person with Alzheimer’s or frustration that they can’t do the things they used to.
Social withdrawal from friends and activities that used to make you feel good.
Anxiety about the future and facing another day.
Depression that breaks your spirit and affects your ability to cope.
Exhaustion that makes it nearly impossible to complete necessary daily tasks.
Sleeplessness caused by a never-ending list of concerns.
Irritability that leads to moodiness and triggers negative responses and actions.
Lack of concentration that makes it difficult to perform familiar tasks.
Health problems that begin to take a mental and physical toll.

Collectively, these symptoms can knock an otherwise caring, compassionate caregiver off balance, replacing what was once a level-headed approach to daily life with one that is full of daily anxiety.

If you recognize some of the above stress patterns in your life, it is important to know that there are ways to manage your stress before it becomes overwhelming. Here are some tips to gain back control:

Use your resources. The good news is that there are plenty of them if you know where to look. From the Alzheimer’s Association to our own Anthem Memory Care communities, there are people ready to help.
Find ways to relax your nerves. Yoga, meditation, breathing and other relaxation techniques can do wonders to relieve stress. Find a class or online session, and stick with it.
Take care of your physical self. When was the last time you had a complete physical? Make an appointment and keep it.
Take care of your emotion health. Consider participating in a local dementia support group. There you can share your feelings with other caregivers in a safe and nurturing environment, led by a licensed professional.
Take some time off for yourself. Many memory care communities have respite care programs in which your loved one can spend a week or more at the community, freeing you up to attend to your needs.

The stress you feel as a caregiver is very real and must be taken seriously. Pushing your feelings aside and neglecting your own needs doesn’t do anyone any good. Take the time now to take steps to gain control over your life and your role as caregiver. Remember, there are resources out there to help. Do this for yourself and do it for your loved one.

We have often written about the value of providing a sense of purpose to individuals struggling with dementia. When that sense of purpose extends out to the greater community, it has an even more powerful impact on all who are involved.

Over the holidays, the residents of Porter Place Memory Care in Tinley Pak, Illinois decided to embark upon a very special project to benefit P.A.W.S of Tinley Park, a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to the protection of domestic animals and to the attempt to prevent animal cruelty in the surrounding communities.

Anything involving an effort to help animals tends to get a particularly enthusiastic response. Porter Place residents and staff considered a variety of ways to raise money for the shelter. Finally, they came up with a great idea: make their own special organic dog treats. Everyone loved it! The popular gourmet treats sold out quickly to dog owners and lovers throughout the community.

The fundraiser itself was a big success, garnering $268 for P.A.W.S.; a donation that will go a long way towards helping house and feed shelter animals, especially during the cold months of winter. P.A.W.S. Director, Jane Kocek, visited the community residents to personally thank them for their hard work and generous donation. Bobbi Kelley, Porter Place Community Relations Director, made note of the importance to the residents of participating in the project as well as the donation. “It’s very important that all of our residents have the opportunity to help others and contribute to society,” she said. “We all need purpose!”

Taking part in activities that provide a greater good to the broader community creates a sense of purpose in all of us, especially aging adults who are challenged with a dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It adds meaning to their lives and provides the social interaction that is so important for their physical and emotional wellbeing.

If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, try to find stimulating, purposeful activities for them to participate in. You can either do this at home or find a local memory care community and get involved. Anthem Memory Care communities regularly open our doors to the public and would welcome an opportunity to meet you and your loved one!

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When the new year is “2020” it brings up all sorts of interesting connotations; perfect vision being among them. With that theme in mind, what is your vision as a caregiver for 2020? Just an extension of 2019? Another year of more giving and less taking for yourself? While that may seem heroic, it can wear you down to a point where you are no longer effective as a caregiver, let alone be the healthy person you owe it to yourself to be. This is especially true when you are caring for a loved one with dementia. That is why it is so important for caregivers to attend to their own needs, as well as those of the loved one they are caring for. And it’s not always easy!

Here is a short checklist compiled from a variety of sources, including our own. While you may not be able to tackle all of these at once, you should try your best to get started on at least a few of them:

Find a dementia support group. Resident families tell us that these groups have become a lifeline for them as they struggle to cope with day to day issues. They look forward to those monthly get togethers with other caregivers to share their feelings and find renewed strength by reaching out and helping others. Anthem Memory Care communities conduct regular dementia support groups.
Make plans for at least two to three respite breaks for 2020. Respite care is an arrangement wherein your loved one stays in a memory care community for a couple of weeks or longer. While these are short stays they enable family caregivers to take time to attend to personal needs. Whether it’s scheduling those doctor and dentist visits you’ve been putting off, getting together with friends and families, or taking a trip; all are ways of helping you maintain physical and emotional strength in your challenging role of caregiver.
Start a journal. Journals are a constructive way to pour out your frustrations in a way that releases pent up tensions. When you write down a problem on paper it gives you a greater sense of control over it, rather than letting it grow out of proportion. You don’t need to write every day but try to post regularly. You may come to find journaling great therapy and look forward to dumping out the days problems on paper, rather than holding them inside.
Learn yoga and/or meditation. It’s easier now than ever, as there are plenty of online sessions available as well as local studios. The relaxation techniques from both of these disciplines will help guide you through stressful days and have the potential to bring you lifelong emotional support.
Give yourself a positive affirmation every day (more often if possible). If you develop the habit of stopping periodically and thanking yourself for the help you are giving your loved one, you will find yourself to be more focused on the positive things that happen each day, rather than the negative ones.

It takes time and plenty of restarts to get on track with anything new. So don’t chastise yourself when you miss a support group meeting or have some gaps in your journaling. You are human and perfection should not be your goal.

Instead, what you should focus your attention on is finding ways to create a healthier, stronger and happier “you” in 2020. That takes time and patience. So make sure you are surrounding yourself with positive people who can be supportive on this most challenging of journeys.

Your life as a caregiver can’t be boiled down to a simple checklist. But, as with the old Chinese proverb of “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, the new year is a great time to start something fresh. Do this for yourself. Your loved one will benefit as well.

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Well, we’re well into the holiday season! This is the time of year when families and friends gather to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah traditions. It is the time when people come together to help others who are less fortunate. Finally, it is the season when everyone wishes each other the very best in the upcoming new year. As a special treat, we thought we’d share some images from just a few of our Anthem Memory Care communities as both residents and staff come together to make this season special for everyone!

Emerald Place residents did a great job making goody bags for charity...

Grace Point Place residents worked together to create a beautifully decorated tree...

A local elementary school choir performed holiday carols for residents at Highline Place...

Willowbrook Place residents show off their Christmas sweaters...

The talented culinary staff at Chelsea Place created a host of tasty goodies for the residents, including this traditional yule log...

Wishing all of you and your families happy holidays from all of us at Anthem Memory Care communities.

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For those who celebrate Christmas, the holidays can be full of fun family activities. Many of them are traditions; things you’ve always done and enjoy doing year after year. It may be as simple as decorating your tree or putting up lights and other decorations. Perhaps it’s taking a stroll in the snow while enjoying the cold, crisp air.

Regardless of how you have traditionally celebrated the holidays, when a loved one has dementia you may soon discover that the things they did last year may now be too strenuous or require too much cognitive ability to do this year. Needless to say, that can be a difficult realization to handle.

It doesn’t, however, mean you can’t still enjoy the holidays and engage in meaningful activities as a family.

Becoming more cognizant of how your loved one’s abilities have changed will help you adjust old activities or discover new ones that are less taxing and yet also enjoyable. Here are some things to consider as we approach Christmas week:

What are your traditions? List out all the traditions you have enjoyed with your loved one. Now look at each with an eye towards simplifying it to make it easier and more enjoyable for them. Keep in mind that there may be some you will have to replace altogether.
Make sure you’re up to date on your loved one’s physical and cognitive changes. As you know, dementias, such as Alzheimer’s disease, involve declining physical abilities as well as cognitive issues. What does that mean? It may mean that something once so easy, such as decorating the Christmas tree, can become physically challenging.
Keep your expectations low. If baking holiday cookies was one of mom’s favorite things to do, don’t expect her to be able to roll the dough perfectly or even use a cookie cutter. Focus instead on keeping the project simple. Maybe she is content in simply taking a finger full of dough and dropping it on the cookie sheet. Don’t try to push her. Remember it is the process that can be just as pleasing as the finished product.
Try something completely new. Consider adding a new tradition, such as taking an evening drive to look at lights or sitting down and looking through all your Christmas cards together. Instead of decorating a large tree, consider a small tabletop tree which is easier to decorate and less taxing to move around.

If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, you can visit the Alzheimer’s Association website, which has plenty of ideas and activities geared towards individuals with dementia.

Above all, try not to expect too much of yourself or your loved one as you substitute new activities for old familiar ones. If an activity is clearly not enjoyable, don’t persist. Let your loved one’s behavior be your guide. Switch to another activity or take some time out to rest. Taking it slowly will enable both you and your loved one to discover some new activities that can be just as enjoyable and memorable as the old ones.

Danyanique Hughes, Life Engagement Director for Harvester Place Memory Care in Burr Ridge, Illinois, was doing some online research recently and came across some information about Northern Illinois Food Bank and their programs to feed those in need in the Northern Illinois area. The Northern Illinois Food Bank is a non-profit group whose goal is to help solve hunger throughout an entire 13 county service area. They are proud member of Feeding America and are the source of nutritious food, innovative feeding programs and hope for over 500,000 people every year.

Danyanique was impressed with what she read about the food bank organization and asked if the residents of Harvester Place could lend a hand. They could indeed! After a bit of planning, a group of residents headed out to the Food Bank warehouse and got to work. Their job was to prepare food products by removing the bar codes and sorting and pack them into boxes so that they could be distributed to families in need.

Theresa Kenaga, Community Relations Director, noted how the residents enjoyed getting out of their familiar environment and out in the broader community. She was also impressed with the level of involvement by community residents. “Residents felt a strong sense of purpose and commented that it was good ‘to get out to work’,” she said.

Socialization is very important for aging individuals, as is establishing a sense of purpose. Studies have shown that aging individuals, when experiencing a sense of purposefulness, feel better both physically and emotionally. It can also have a positive cognitive impact. Engaging in a purposeful activity can help stimulate the brain; something very important for those with dementia.

The Harvester Place staff enjoyed engaging with residents as they packaged the food items and experienced their own sense of purpose in helping the residents help to feed the hungry. While this is the first time they have participated, it won’t be their last. The staff and residents of Harvester Place plan to stay involved with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, hoping to participate quarterly, or even monthly, if possible.

The photo shows the following individuals, from left to right: RuthAnn Green, Alexis Alvarado, Grace Doerk, Suzanne Gasperini, Danyanique Hughes, Billie Sklair, Mario DeMeo, Carole Considine (Harvester Place Executive Director), Normal Jaffe, Frances Franci. Seated is Manda Klancir.

By nature, those who care for loved ones tend to be known as “givers”. They are constantly putting their own needs last on the list while they devote time, energy and love to serving a beloved family member or friend. Caregivers of individuals with dementia have an added layer of challenges as they strive to take care of a loved one, often an aging parent, while juggling all kinds of additional responsibilities and other commitments, including work and family obligations.

We hear from many family caregivers who tell us they simply can’t remember the last time they had a break from the day to day responsibilities of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, or other dementia. For many, it has become a 24/7, 365-day commitment, a lifestyle devoid of “down time” let alone a weekend out of town or vacation.

If this description fits you, maybe this should be the holiday season when you give yourself the gift of time; time to do those things that you have been neglecting over the past months, or even years. You can do this by scheduling some “respite” time for your loved one at a local memory care community. An ideal length of time for respite is a few weeks or more. This allows you to shift gears and start going about the business of caring for the caregiver; in this case, you.

Here are some key benefits of respite care that you should know about:

Respite gives you time to care for yourself. That means both your physical self and your emotional self. That means scheduling a physical as well as considering booking some time with a good therapist.
Respite gives you time to reconnect with friends and the world around you. Chances are you have lost touch with friends and are no longer
Respite provides your loved one with a change of environment. Studies have shown that the change of surroundings can help stimulate memory. It can improve physical health as well.
Respite gives you an opportunity to evaluate local memory care communities.

This last point is an important one. Not all memory care communities are the same, nor are their respite programs. Remember that respite should be a meaningful experience for your loved one, not just a holding tank while you are away. Therefore, be sure to evaluate all your potential respite sources. Ask questions. Find out what activities your loved one will be included in. Be prepared to say “no” if you don’t get the answers you’re looking for.

Family caregivers who utilize our communities’ respite care services often tell us that the break has left them with a renewed sense of purpose and has given them the time they need to recharge and gain back some peace of mind that had eroded over time. They also report that their relationships with friends and family members have improved as they have been able to reconnect with those they had lost touch with.

If you are caring for someone with dementia, now is a good time to organize some time off. Why not schedule a few weeks after the holidays? Make 2020 the year that you give yourself the gift of time. It may be the most important gift that you and your loved one will receive.

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What are you thankful for? Thanksgiving is the time of year when we stop to think about, not what we don’t have, but what we do have in life. For some it may just be having a roof over your head. For others, it’s having the love of a husband or wife, or a loyal friend. The very act of feeling gratefulness can be transformational. Perhaps that’s why for so many people, Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday. It’s a time to reflect and give thanks for big and small blessings

For caregivers, there are days when finding things to be thankful for can require a great deal of effort. After all, the daily challenges caregivers face are unique and nobody can truly understand the anxiety, stress and grief you face each day and must find ways to overcome.

And, yet, finding something to be thankful for can have a therapeutic impact that is hard to quantify and yet is very real. Studies have shown the act of feeling thankful can improve sleep, strengthen relationships and even help keep depression at bay. With that in mind, below are a few recommendations from professional therapists and other family caregivers to help you tune into a more “thankful” side of your daily life.

Find one thing each day to be thankful for. It doesn’t have to be a major thing. It can be small. Maybe you’re thankful for a supportive friend. Or perhaps just thankful that you are able to put food on the table and have a warm bed to sleep in each night.
Work towards a “half full” philosophy, rather than “half empty”. Try, when things are not going well, to think of how easily things could be much worse. In other words, look at what you have, not at what you wish you had.
Develop a list of affirmative messages. Start collecting positive “thankful” phrases and motivational quotes. Keep them handy and pull them out and read them on days when you are feeling low. Frame them or tack them up on a bulletin board. The more you collect the better. Seeing a few good words of wisdom can ease a stressful day.

You may be surprised that by finding people, things and moments to be thankful for, it can bring some light into otherwise difficult, challenging days. Make sure, too, that you identify external sources that can be of help to you. Dementia support groups and respite care are two excellent ways caregivers can give back to themselves.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the positive things and people in your life. And, while it may take some time and effort to identify it, there is always something to be thankful for. Take the time to find it, and share it with those you love.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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If you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you know that, at times, nothing feels more isolating. Nobody truly understands the very special and challenging world in which you are living. Nobody understands those sleepless nights and how hard it is to get out of bed each morning. Nobody, that is, except perhaps another caregiver with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease.

That is why, as a caregiver, you need to connect with other caregivers. You need to be able to share your deepest fears and worst moments with those who intuitively understand. That’s what dementia support groups were created to do. They connect caregivers to each other; all in a supportive environment, facilitated by licensed professionals who know how to ensure that the needs of all participants are met.

Here are just a few of the benefits that a support group brings to family caregivers:

Sound advice. Perhaps you have a difficult decision on the horizon. Or, possibly, you need to float some ideas from other family members and you want advice from other caregivers. This is an ideal platform to get solid advice from those who understand your issues.
Ideas, research and options. Other caregivers may have some good tips for dealing with certain issues that you haven’t thought of. The facilitator should also be able to provide some of the latest research and help debunk any rumors, keeping you focused on reality and moving forward.
Emotional support. This may be the strongest of all benefits. By surrounding yourself with others in similar situations you can support each other. Nothing does more to lift the spirits than to be of emotional help to others around you.

Finally, attending a dementia support group gets you out of your house and away from your day to day routine. It gives you something to look forward to, especially when you’ve had a tough week, knowing that you will have an hour or two to debrief, relax and form new, supportive relationships. Attending a support group represents a commitment to yourself to do something for yourself.

Our Anthem Memory Care communities hold regular dementia support groups. Take time to find one near you.

Every caregiver’s journey is unique. The path you travel will be different from anyone else’s. Finding a good dementia support group is the first step towards lighting that path ahead.

When the late fall to early winter chill sets in, most of us bundle up and move on. We understand that we will eventually reach our destinations and find ways to warm up. We may complain about the weather, but we accept it and modify our clothing and commutes to account for it.

When an individual has dementia, however, they may not recognize the weather changes in ways that those with normal cognitive ability do. While they may feel cold, they may lack the organization skills to find a sweater or jacket, let alone put it on. They may not remember where the thermostat is. Or they may resort to unsafe ways of warming up, such as turning on the oven burners or stove.

As the weather becomes colder, it is important for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia to be especially aware of the potential harm weather swings can bring.

Here are some things family caregivers should be on the lookout for and ways to keep your loved ones safe and comfortable as wintery weather ushers in.

Personal comfort and safety: It seems like common sense to wear a sweater or jacket when the weather is cooler. However, an individual struggling with dementia may not have the ability to execute a simple act of grabbing a blanket or other form of keeping warm. Worse yet if outdoors, as the risk of serious conditions, such as hypothermia becomes very real, especially in colder climates. It’s therefore important for you to check regularly on your loved one and step in to ensure their comfort and safety at all times.
Indoor heating safety: It’s important to make sure that your loved one’s heating system is up to date and compliant with safety standards. Space heaters, for instance, can quickly become a fire hazard. It may make sense to have a HVAC expert visit and conduct a safety check. Many will do this free of charge. Also make sure that other sources of heat, such as the stove and oven have shut off safety features. The best way to guard against heating hazards is to use a tamper-proof thermostat and keep it set at a comfortable temperature.
Safeguarding against falls and other winter weather accidents: Icy roads and handrails are accidents ready to happen. Caregivers should exercise extreme caution when walking outdoors with cognitively impaired loved ones. Make sure your loved one is wearing a sturdy pair of gloves as well. Pay special attention to those who may be prone to wandering. Make sure safeguards are in place to keep your loved one safely inside and out of harm’s way.

Changing seasons and the weather that accompanies them are but a passing concern for most of us. However, it is important for caregivers to realize the discomfort and confusion that weather changes can bring to loved ones struggling with dementia. By taking the time to plan properly and prepare your loved one, both inside and outside the home, you can help avoid potential issues and hazards.

Winter weather can be a refreshing change and bring a festive touch as we approach the holidays. Make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your loved one with dementia comfortable and safe. It will make for a more enjoyable season for all of you!

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Every year, since 1983, we’ve been recognizing November as Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. The idea behind it is to spread awareness of Alzheimer’s and to spotlight research aimed at finding a cure. Since 1983, the number of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease has nearly tripled. So acknowledging and continuing research efforts is more important than ever. Here are a few facts about Alzheimer’s disease, courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association:

It is the 6^th leading cause of death in the United States.
Caregivers provide an estimated 18.5 billion hours of care per year.
Between 2000 and 2017, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased 145%.
5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.

Perhaps you have participated in one of thousands of fundraising activities held across the country to support the Alzheimer’s Association. Involvement in these organizations is important to keep the forward momentum going and keep research on the cutting edge. Here are some things you can do to get more involved in supporting the fight for the cure, not only in November, but throughout the year.

Identify the most useful resources. How can you stay current and up to date? The Alzheimer’s Association provides an entire library of articles, books and databases. You can get more information by visiting the Alzheimer's Association Green-Field Library.

A great place to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and get insight as well as support, is by visiting the Anthem Memory Care blog site. We cover a wide range of topics, from aging, to health to emotional strategies for coping with a loved one struggling with dementia. You can access the blog on our home page. Just scroll down to find the blogs.

Consider taking part in the Alzheimer’s Association online community forum. This is an active online community where you can share your own experiences and learn from others.
Join an Alzheimer’s Association chapter. They are located throughout the U.S. It’s easy to find your own local chapter. Here is the link.
If you are struggling with an immediate issue, the Alzheimer’s Association has a free 24/7 Helpline which is run by experienced professionals. They are there to help address your issues as well as provide referrals.

At Anthem Memory Care communities, we believe in bringing awareness of Alzheimer’s disease every month of the year. Only by organizing and working together, can we make the progress necessary to forever putting an end to this devastating and debilitating disease.

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