The Stages of Caregiving

Stage one of a patient: forgetfulness. Stage one of a caregiver: shock and skepticism. Stage two of a patient: changes in habits, confusion about day, time, place, and moodiness. Stage two of a caregiver: handling frustration and developing an understanding of the disease. Stage three of a patient: need round-the-clock care. Stage three of a …

Dan’s Caregiver Video Blog

Two of our heroes here at the Georgia Chapter, are Dan and his wife Denise. Denise was diagnosed with dementia at the young age of 56, about 3 1/2 years ago. Since then, their lives have changed dramatically. Inspired to use their voices about this terrible disease, both Dan and Denise have become Champions and Advocates …

Macon yoga and dance classes help Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers

 Jane Donahue remembers the day her husband got lost on a walk. "It terrified me," she said. Fearing he would wander off again, Donahue contacted the Alzheimer's Association office in Macon to see about getting a tracking device. The couple now comes back to the Central Georgia Regional Office on Mulberry Street a few times …

Caregiver Coping Part 4: “Take Care of Yourself”

* This is the fourth and final installment in a series where we will be discussing some realistic ways that Caregivers can cope with the stresses of care-giving. Okay, I said it. You need to take care of yourself. If you are a caregiver, you may be rolling your eyes at this point, or laughing maniacally …

Caregiver Coping Part 3: Reach Out For Help

* This is the third installment in a series where we will be discussing some realistic ways that Caregivers can cope with the stresses of care-giving. Reaching out for help - it sounds simple, right? There are actually some pretty significant barriers that caregivers might have to overcome before they reach out for help. The …

Caregiver Coping Part 1: Education

* This is the first installment in a series where we will be discussing some realistic ways that Caregivers can cope with the stresses of care-giving.   When you become a caregiver - whether it be sudden or gradual - there is typically a pretty significant learning curve. All of a sudden, you may be …

The Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter Welcomes Local AKA partners

Welcome Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc.® The Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter is proud to announce a new partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® to help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and increase education, care and support resources in the African-American community. On Thursday, October 29, the Georgia Chapter celebrated this new partnership with a kickoff event at our …

Living and Loving with Alzheimer’s Disease: Kim’s Story

Phil and Kim Wilson have been happily married for seven years. Their home in Rome, Georgia is recognizable for its well-tended garden, ablaze with vibrant colors. Kim's children live nearby along with her grandchildren - 3 boys: Mason, Oliver and Dexter. Phil and Kim have a close-knit family and a wide circle of friends and colleagues, …

Guest Post: Accepting a Diagnosis of Dementia

My mother-in-law’s diagnosis of dementia forever changed the lives of everyone in our family. I remember sitting with my husband in a row of metal chairs along the hallway in the medical facility while she was being examined by a geriatric neurologist. It seemed to take an eternity. Finally the doctor emerged from the scan …

For those of us who don’t love fundraising…

I am the first to admit that fundraising is not my strong suit. Which is exactly why I work on the programs and services team here at the Alzheimer's Association and not on the development team. But as I've said time and time again, it is going to take ALL of us working together AND …