Talk’s focus to be resources for memory disorders

“Alzheimer’s disease is not craziness or insanity,” Beverly Roots, ElderCare Services director, says. “It is a degenerative disease that erodes a person’s ability to remember, to think, to make sound judgments and eventually to care for him or herself.”

Roots is one of 10 health-care professionals who will be volunteering their time to help educate people about the resources available to family members, caregivers and friends of persons with Alzheimer’s disease or a related memory disorder.

Organized by the Alzheimer’s Association, “Community Resources for Family Caregivers,” will be a panel discussion Nov. 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Kootenai Medical Center, Health Care Resource Center, Fox Auditorium, Room 4 and 5. The program is free and open to the public.

The Alzheimer’s Association, the largest private funder of Alzheimer’s research, says approximately 10 percent of people over age 65 are affected by Alzheimer’s, and the figures rises to nearly 50 percent in people over age 85. A small percentage of people who have Alzheimer’s are younger than 60.

Roots became interested in Alzheimer’s disease after college when she began working at a nursing home.

Roots’ mother was her inspiration. “Mom had Parkinson’s disease for 37 years, and she encouraged me to continue my studies,” Roots says.

Roots graduated with a master’s degree in social work from Eastern Washington University, owns ElderCare Services and has served as an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer for seven years.

“Early detection is the best defense in coping with Alzheimer’s disease,” Roots says, “because finding out the cause of the confusion or memory loss can lead to possible treatment.”

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are treatments that might help with some of the symptoms.

“Talking to professionals and having as much information as possible can help the patient and their families cope,” Roots says.

Roots speaks highly of a program called Safe Return, which assists in the safe return of individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Members wear an engraved identification bracelet or necklace and iron-on clothing labels, which help law enforcement agencies in their search.

“Safe Return is a nationwide identification program that provides assistance when a person wanders or becomes lost,” Roots says. “Assistance is available 24 hours, every day.”

Organizations and their speakers at “Community Resources for Family Caregivers” include Aging & Adult Services, Marilyn MacGregor; Memory Clinic, Dr. Susan Melchiore; Panhandle Health District, Mary DeTienne; Kootenai Medical Center Adult Day Program, Susan Kriedor; ElderCare Services, Beverly Roots; LaCrosse Long Term Care Facility, Janice Guercio; Bestland Retirement Home, Angie Spleiss; Assisted Living, MaryBeth Hassell; Certified Family Homes, Florence Estes; and Coeur d’Alene Alzheimer’s Association volunteer support group leader, Arlene Sleigh.

The speakers will explain the differences between long-term care facility, retirement home, assisted living and certified family home.

“These terms confuse many people,” says P.J. Christo, a registered nurse with the Alzheimer’s Association. “We want to provide information that will help people navigate successfully through our social service system.”

After the speakers explain their services, audience members will be allowed to ask questions.