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More than 5 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer's disease. It's the sixth leading cause of death in the country, resulting in more lives than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined. An organization is trying to learn how this disease affects Eastern Texans.
The Alzheimer's Association of Dallas and Northeast Texas held a public public forum at the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living in Longview on Thursday to ask residents of Gregg County what impact the disease has had. on their life.
Speakers shared facts about Alzheimer's disease, personal accounts of their encounters with the disease, and asked audience members to share their thoughts on how medical facilities were treating Alzheimer's disease in the community. region and in the state.
Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt, who discusses legal issues related to Alzheimer's patients, made an opening statement.
"It's very encouraging when we start seeing people come to this type of symposium," Stoudt said. "We need to keep talking about this topic and continue to find ways to better serve patients."
Stoudt explained that people who begin to experience the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or dementia may become angry or troubled by their situation and hit a close person, such as their spouse, and legal intervention may be necessary .
"It's a subject that many people do not want to talk about," Stoudt said. "It's an extremely serious disease."
He added that events such as the community forum were essential to address issues related to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, as participants could exchange ideas and learn about these conditions. He also said that anyone in Gregg County who was dealing with family members with dementia or Alzheimer's could call his office for advice or suggestions.
Daniel Pierce, presenter of KETK, described his own experience of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in a family member.
"Earlier this year, January 7, my grandmother lost her battle with Alzheimer's," said Pierce. "She had been fighting this for 12 years. It was something that I did not really understand at the time. I do not think many of our families have understood what it means to fight against Alzheimer's disease. "
Pierce described how his grandmother, a talented pianist, gradually lost his ability to play music. He said that his grandfather had taken care of her but asked if he should have sought help for her sooner. Pierce has combined his experience for the purpose of the forum: to ask questions and to search for information.
"It's not a trip you have to take alone," Pierce said. "Where do you see gaps in the public's knowledge of understanding Alzheimer's disease, dementia and memory loss?", He asked the audience.
Lauren Weber, Administrator of Oceans Behavioral Hospital in Longview, said that education was lacking in East Texas.
"Education for families, education for reference sources, education for the community, you name it, education. One of the things we started doing is the virtual tour of dementia, "said Weber, describing an educational service offered by his organization in which people can experience the symptoms of dementia. She also pointed out the lack of psychiatrists, especially geriatric psychiatrists, in the area.
Other audience members described the lack of resources for caregivers in the area, who may suffer from stress and burnout when caring for people with Alzheimer's disease, and a lack of training and funding for nurses. Texas has the 48th lowest Medicaid reimbursement rate for retirement homes in the country.
A member of the public said that she was concerned that her husband was suffering from the early stages of dementia and said that she did not know what to do.
Dr. James Sawyer, an internist in Longview, explained that anyone who is concerned about a family member should see a neurologist for a correct diagnosis.
Other audience members asked questions about early dementia symptoms, including forgetting newly acquired information, sudden inability to follow routines such as paying bills and the frequent loss of objects.
Some audience members asked what should be done to family members who refuse to give up their driving privileges even when their memory and vision begin to decline. Dr. Sawyer said that affected family members can anonymously report a dangerous driver to the Department of Public Safety, who can issue a prescription for a driving test. If the driver fails, his driver's license may be revoked.
The meeting was closed with each guest table completing a questionnaire on ways to increase awareness of Alzheimer's disease in the community.
The Alzheimer's Association has collected this information for use in future outreach efforts. They also asked the guests to fill out a card to send to their senator to encourage them to support a national Alzheimer's plan. In August, the US Senate approved a $ 425-million increase in research funding for Alzheimer's disease and dementia at the National Institutes of Health for the next fiscal year.
The mission statement of the Alzheimer's Association is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease, treat all those affected and reduce the risk of dementia by promoting brain health. The organization organizes fundraisers and educational events to fund research and advocate for more resources for people with Alzheimer's disease. To learn more or ask for help, visit www.ALZ.org or call the 24/7 helpline at 800-292-3900.
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