Alzheimer’s Association Vermont Chapter
Pretty much everyone knows someone who either has or is caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. More than 13,000 Vermonters have either Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and over 20,000 family members, friends, and healthcare professionals across the state are providing care to those afflicted.
The Alzheimer’s Association bills itself as the leading voluntary health organization for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. They provide education and support to those facing Alzheimer’s and other dementias, including those living with the disease, caregivers, care partners, health care professionals, and families. The non-profit organization is committed to advocating for the needs and rights of those facing Alzheimer’s disease and advancing critical research toward methods of treatment, prevention and, hopefully, one day, a cure.
The organization’s education programs are designed for the general public and are available both online and in person. They feature information on topics such as diagnosis, warning signs, communication, living with Alzheimer’s disease, and caregiving. This includes both face-to-face and virtual support groups with in-person groups meeting in eight communities across the state. The Alzheimer’s Association has a free helpline, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The hotline is staffed by master’s level clinicians and specialists who provide confidential support and information in dozens of languages.
It is estimated that there will be 17,000 people 65 and older with Alzheimer’s in Vermont in 2025, a 308% increase from the 2020 numbers. After 65, a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years, and family history increases the chances of developing the disease. The ravages of Alzheimer’s extend beyond the person suffering from the disease to those caring for them. In 2022, there were 19,000 family volunteer caregivers providing 28 million hours of unpaid care for an estimated value of $590 million. 61.5% of those caregivers had their own chronic health conditions, 35.4% suffered from depression, and 10.7% were in poor physical health themselves.
Alzheimer’s slowly robs a person of their ability to take part in day-to-day activities, often resulting in a loss of independence. In 2017, there were 543 people in hospice who had a primary diagnosis of dementia which translates to 17% of the hospice population. In 2018, there were 1,528 emergency department visits for people with dementia which made up almost 20% of those visits. Medicare paid out $116 million to care for people with dementia and the cost is projected to rise by 26.4% in 2025.
According to figures compiled by the Alzheimer’s Association, Vermont has only nine dedicated geriatricians, a number which would have to increase by over 200% to meet the demand for these specialists in 2050. The Green Mountain State has 7,770 home health and personal care aides, a number which would have to increase by over 30% to meet the demand in 2050.
Warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease include memory loss which disrupts daily life, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, challenges in planning or solving problems, trouble understanding visual images or spatial relationships, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps to find them, new problems with written or spoken words, decreased or poor judgment, withdrawal from work or social activities, and changes in mood or personality,
Statistics compiled by the Alzheimer’s Association indicate that nationwide, one in three seniors dies of Alzheimer’s or dementia. The diseases kill more people than breast and prostate cancer. Alzheimer’s doesn’t necessarily wait for old age. The lifetime risk for Alzheimer’s at age 45 is one in five for women and one in ten for men. In 20212019, the last year for which statistics are available, there were 337,315 deaths from Alzheimer’s in Vermont.
The comprehensive services and resources offered by the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association are free, and the organization believes they can significantly enhance the quality of life for those affected by the disease and their families. By providing free education programs and online tools for caregivers, families, and healthcare professionals, the Alzheimer’s Association wants to ensure that everyone involved in the care of an individual with Alzheimer’s is well-informed and equipped to handle the challenges of the disease. The association has a Training and Education Center, as well as a Virtual Library.
Support groups often provide a safe place for caregivers and those living with Alzheimer’s disease and help members feel better prepared to cope with their unique situation. There are currently eight in-person locations across the state and others that meet virtually. By funding innovative research projects, the Association also supports the development of new treatments and interventions that can improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s. The organization took part in the New IDEAS study – a nationwide study of people from diverse backgrounds who were experiencing memory loss – in the hope of finding new ways to diagnose and care for people with those issues.
Funding for the Alzheimer’s Association comes from grants, donations, and the annual Walks to End Alzheimer’s. There are four walks in Vermont. The first, which takes place in Rutland, is on September 21, followed by September 22 in the Northeast Kingdom, September 29 in the Champlain Valley, and October 5 in the Upper Valley. During the event, walkers carry flowers of various colors, with each color representing their personal connection to the disease. Funds raised during the Walks are used to provide critical care and support resources to more than 13,000 Vermonters living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia and the 20,000 family members and friends serving as their caregivers.
“We are committed to raising awareness, advancing research, and advocating for the rights and needs of Vermonters impacted by this disease,” said Howard Goodrow, Executive Director of the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “The funds we raise at our four Walks to End Alzheimer’s help ensure we can continue offering these critical services at no cost to families.”
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