Post-Diagnosis Steps

HANDS-ON SUPPORT

Reach out for care. Education and support services can help improve quality of life for individuals with dementia and their families.

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America, AFA member organizations and other agencies offer a wealth of hands-on services in communities across the nation. These include:


• Telephone hotlines. Hotline operators provide information, referrals and/or counseling.
• Certified social workers. Professionals offer vital information and counseling to those affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
• Resource and referral centers. Knowledgeable staff provides information and links to community resources, healthcare professionals, social services and other support.
• Educational conferences and workshops. They are presented in English as well as in other languages to reach ethnic populations. They typically cover medical, care, safety, legal, and financial issues.
• Identification programs. Bracelets and state-of-the-art technology, such as Project Lifesaver's wristband transmitters, help with the identification and safe return of wanderers.
• Early-stage and middle-stage programs. These include social and intellectual stimulation programs and support groups for individuals in the early and middle stages of dementia.
• Social-model adult day services. These programs provide cognitive stimulation and recreational therapies to individuals in various stages of the disease.
• Family-oriented services. Support groups and bereavement groups are available for caregivers and other family members.
• Respite programs. In-home respite care and overnight respite programs are designed to provide temporary relief for family caregivers.
• Telephone "buddy" programs. Staff or volunteers, many of whom have been caregivers themselves, support and educate caregivers.
• Books, products and equipment. These are made available to educate families and healthcare professionals, and to meet essential care needs for individuals with dementia.
  
  Reach Out for Care…. Call the Alzheimer's Foundation of America
  (toll-free) 866.AFA.8484.