Wyoming and National Awareness Month for Alzheimer's Disease



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Job Opening: The position requires you to be on call 24 hours a day. The salary is zero. In fact, you will pay an average of $ 10,697 a year for work that will have a negative impact on your health and could shorten your life. Average length of work: 8 to 10 years, although some have been in this position for 20 years or more.

It's too good to be true? This is the job of an unpaid caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or some other form of dementia. In 2018, 28,000 Wyomingites are working in this field, among the 16 million people in the United States who do the same job out of love, not money.

November is National Alzheimer Awareness Month and National Family Helper Month.

The care of Alzheimer's is isolated – on a crowd of 16 million people.

· The website of the association: www.alz.org/Wyoming offers a wide variety of information and resources.

For more information about care, finding care resources and support, call 307.287.6569.

Here are some interesting facts about people who volunteer for loved ones with dementia:

· Most are women. About two-thirds of unpaid caregivers are women.

· Women taking care of women. Nearly two-thirds of people with dementia are women.

· 18.4 billion hours. This is the number of hours of unpaid care provided in 2017 to people living with dementia in the United States by family and friends.

· $ 232 billion. This is the value of unpaid care hours (average $ 12.61 / hour).

o It's a lot of hamburgers. This value of unpaid care represents more than 10 times the total revenue of McDonald's in 2017 ($ 22.8 billion).

· Depression is common. Between 30% and 40% of family caregivers of people with dementia suffer from depression, compared to 5 to 17% of non-caregivers of the same age.

· Stressful work Almost 60% of caregivers living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia report "high to very high" levels of emotional stress, while 38% report "high to very high levels of physical stress".

· It could kill you A Stanford University study found that caregiver mortality was 63% higher than non-caregivers, and that 40% of Alzheimer's caregivers died of stress-related disorders before the person which they occupied.

· Double problem One in four respondents is a "sandwich generation", which means they take care of children under 18 and an elderly parent.

· Experience not required. Half of natural caregivers responsible for dementia (51%) report having no previous experience performing tasks related to medicine or nursing and often lack information or resources to manage complex therapeutic regimens.

· "No" is not an option. Survey respondents often stated that they felt they did not have the choice of assuming the role of caregiver.

· Very educated. About 40% of caregivers with dementia have at least a university degree or even more education.

· Not very paid. 41% of caregivers have a family income of $ 50,000 or less.

· Almost half boasts the benefits. Despite physical, emotional and financial stress, 45% of caregivers surveyed by the Alzheimer's Association said the experience was "very rewarding".

The most commonly expressed concern: "Nobody gets it" and the sleeping habits of the person with dementia.

· The most difficult choice. The majority of caregivers admit that the most difficult choice they have ever had is to decide when they can no longer take care of a loved one and that it is time to transfer to a assisted living center. .

Wyoming Care Statistics

· 28,000 unpaid caregivers in 2017 for nearly 10,000 people with dementia.

· 31 million hours of unpaid care, worth $ 396 million.

"Caring for a loved one with dementia is, in many ways, the hardest job a family member or friend can ever do," said Janet Lewis, executive director of the Wyoming Chapter. from the Alzheimer's Association. "For this reason, caregivers are at the center of a significant portion of the services provided by our association."

The information, programs and services provided free by the Alzheimer's Association to Wyoming families include:

· Educational courses on topics such as:

o Know the 10 Signs: Early Detection Is Important – If you or any of your acquaintances experience memory loss or behavioral changes, it's time to learn the facts. Early detection of Alzheimer's disease allows you to start medication, enroll in clinical studies and plan for the future. This interactive workshop features video clips of people with Alzheimer's disease to highlight the challenges they face every day.

o Conversations about Dementia – A workshop offering tips on how to have honest and caring conversations with family members about how to see a doctor, decide when to stop driving, and make financial and legal plans .

o Effective communication strategies – Learn to decode verbal and behavioral communication with a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. Participants return with strategies to create meaningful connections with people with dementia in the early, middle and advanced stages.

o A healthy life for your brain and your body: tips from recent research – Learn about research in the areas of nutrition, nutrition, exercise, cognitive activities and research. Social engagement, and use practical tools to help you incorporate these recommendations into a healthy aging plan.

o Legal and Financial Planning of Alzheimer's Disease – This workshop, presented by a volunteer advocate for the Alzheimer's Association, is aimed at anyone who wants to know more about the legal and financial issues to consider and about how to set up a plan. .

o Other classes include:

§ Understanding Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

§ Living with Alzheimer's disease for people with early Alzheimer's and care partners

§ Living with Alzheimer's disease: for caregivers

§ Living with Alzheimer's disease: for caregivers

§ Living with Alzheimer's disease: for people with younger Alzheimer's disease

§ Understanding and Responding to Dementia Behavior

· Support groups composed of other carers.

· Family consultations.

· The 24/7 free helpline (800-272-3900), consisting of qualified professional counselors available to answer questions, refer people to their community resources, handle thorny problems for the caregiver, etc. The telephone support service is composed of bilingual English / Spanish counselors and translation services are available in more than 200 languages ​​and dialects.

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