Coming of Age

Council on Aging of West Florida has forged partnerships with Ballinger Publishing and WUWF-TV to create Coming of Age, a seniors oriented lifestyle and informational print magazine and television program. Both formats cover varied topics of interest including travel, "fun things to do," and community involvement opportunities in addition to legislative issues and health related information.

Coming of Age is published quarterly. To read one of the feature articles from the current issue, click here. (See also our last issue).

Coming of Age TV airs on WUWF-TV, Cox Cable Channel 4, on Mondays at 7 p.m. and Tuesdays at 8 a.m. The program can also be viewed at the same times at www.wwuwf.org. New shows air weekly.

For more information on Coming of Age, please contact Jeff Nall, Vice President of Marketing Communications at jnall@coawfla.org or 432-1475.

Yes, Someone is Listening…

By Carol Green, RN

One of the many web definitions of a caregiver is “someone who typically has primary responsibility for meeting the basic care and safety needs of another for certain periods of time.”

Rosalynn Carter describes it well: There are only four kinds of people in this world:

1. Those who have been caregivers
2. Those who currently are caregivers
3. Those who will be caregivers
4. Those who will need caregivers

Presently, the most prevalent caregiver is responsible for a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or some type of dementia. We most commonly think of these caregivers as 50 or older. However, there are 250,000 children, ages 8 to 18; helping to care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease.

And then there is the sandwich generation. This term describes adults balancing three major responsibilities:

• Raising their own children
• Leading their own lives, including full-time jobs
• Helping their aged parents or their aged relatives

A recent study of families and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias found that 57 percent were employed full or part time. Of those who were employed, two-thirds said that they had to go in late, leave early, or take time off because of caregiving; 18 percent had to take a leave of absence; 13 percent of caregivers had reduced their hours; and eight percent had turned down promotions. eight percent of caregivers in the study had to quit work entirely because of caregiving. Unfortunately, as for spouse caregivers, statistically we know they can die before the person’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or some type of dementia.

Other statistics that confirm the degree of impact that Alzheimer’s has on our society include:

• Every 71 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s
• Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death
• As many as 5.2 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s
• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year

Since there are 450,000 diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease patients in Florida, this presents a unique opportunity to pursue research to find a cure. In just a few years, the Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Center and Research Institute (located on the campus of USF in Tampa, Florida), has made great strides toward this goal and has attained both a state-wide impact and a worldwide reputation. There are almost 80 employees and contract researchers all over Florida. Seven new potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease have been discovered based on Byrd Institute research, and the Institute performs numerous clinical trials on new Alzheimer’s drugs.

Very few people in our local area are aware of the Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute. Fewer probably know that it promotes services in collaboration with the West Florida Memory Disorder Clinic right here in Pensacola, Florida and surrounding areas. I must say it is an honor to play a role in research and education on the local level.

Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute and Council on Aging of West Florida are collaborating with other organizations in the area to offer caregiver training. The next session is set for Monday, June 23 from 1-4 pm in Room 2—St. Theresa of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, which is located at 6451 Park Avenue in Milton. The topic will be Taking Care of Both Caregiver and Care Receiver. The training session is for all caregivers, regardless of the condition the receiver has.

The training will focus on issues caregivers face and a special caregiver’s manual, which has been designed as a reference guide, will be distributed free of charge to attendees. The manual includes programs and resources available to assist caregivers, tips for caregiving, safety issues, emergency preparedness and how to safely provide physical care, personal care and nutrition as well as how to deal with behavioral problems and grief issues. The training session, which includes lunch, is free. However, reservations are requested by Friday, June 20 to 432-1475.

More training sessions will be offered in the near future in other locations and time frames so that we may better meet the needs of caregivers’ schedules. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kenny Holt with Council on Aging of West Florida at 432-1475 or Carol Green, RN, with Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute, (West Florida Memory Disorder Clinic) at 494-6497.

In addition, Council on Aging of West Florida has also started monthly caregiver support groups as part of new programs designed to reduce stress, increase coping skills and provide strategies for effective management of caregiving tasks that enable caregivers to provide high-quality care in the home. Currently, support groups meet in Pensacola at the Council’s facilities at 875 Royce St. on the last Thursday of each month and in Milton at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church at 6451 Park Ave. on the first Thursday of each month. Both support groups start at 6 pm and are free to attend. No reservation is required. These caregiver support groups are sponsored by Council on Aging of West Florida, the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging. For more information, call 432-1475.