Group promotes awareness this month

A national association provides support groups and other services locally.
YOUNGSTOWN -- "When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, you are not alone."
That is the message the Alzheimer's Association's Greater East Ohio Area Chapter is sending out to people with Alzheimer's, their families and caregivers across Ohio during November, National Alzheimer's Disease Month.
NADM was established by former president Ronald Reagan in 1983, said Christine Rich, spokeswoman for the Greater East Ohio Chapter. The chapter has offices in Canton, Akron and Youngstown. The Youngstown office serves nine counties, including Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Jefferson counties in Ohio, and Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.
Hotline
The Alzheimer's Association has launched its "Make the First Call" campaign to educate the public to reach out for information and assistance by calling the association anytime of day, seven days a week, at (800) 272-3900.
In 2004, the national association received more than 240,000 calls, 5,000 of which were handled through the Greater East Ohio Area Chapter. The Association offers a confidential service, staffed by master's level clinicians who provide callers with information about understanding dementia, Alzheimer's diagnosis, treatment options, caregiving information and crisis assistance, Rich said.
Free services
Besides the 24/7 hot line, the Greater East Ohio Chapter also provides other free services to families in the area battling Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. They include support groups for caregivers and people with early stage dementia, family meetings to develop care plans to ensure a higher quality of life for people with Alzheimer's, education programs, and help when a person with Alzheimer's wanders away from home, Rich said.
Since 1983, the number of people with Alzheimer's in the United States has increased from 2 million to 4.5 million. In the Greater East Ohio Area Chapter service area, there are 56,000 people with the disease, Rich said.
"Alzheimer's is a devastating and overwhelming disease, and people often feel ashamed by it or don't know where to turn for help. We want people to know that the Alzheimer's Association is there to help," said Pam Schuellerman, executive director.