Alzheimer Support Group is Forming for Caregivers in Middle Island
May 27, 2010
(Middle Island, N.Y.)-Oak Hollow Nursing Center, a leading provider of Alzheimer’s and Dementia care in a skilled nursing facility, will hold an Alzheimer’s Support Group, associated with the Long Island Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association open to the members of the Community, beginning June 15, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Joe Barlotta is Oak Hollow’s dedicated Ombudsman. Joe speaks with residents and family members at the facility multiple days of every week. Through his discussions, he recognized the need for a support group for caregivers and families in the Middle Island area.
When Joe approached Vilma Osborne, Administrator at Oak Hollow, with the suggestion to coordinate the support group to be hosted at the facility, Ms. Osborne enthusiastically agreed. “It is important for us to provide information, education and support to all of our families. This support group will also enable us to provide support to caregivers and families in our community, as caring for a person with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or Dementia can be very isolating,“, noted Ms. Osborne. Joe Barlotta and another community member, Linda Kirk, will facilitate the support group. Joe and Linda received training on how to be a support group facilitator through the Long Island Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
The first meeting of the support group is scheduled for June 15, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room at Oak Hollow Nursing Center, 49 Oakcrest Avenue, Middle Island, NY 11953. The group will also meet on June 15 and July 20, and will continue on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information please call the Recreation Department at Oak Hollow at 631-924-8820 x 2322 or call Joe Barlotta at 631-902-4662.
Currently 5.3 million people in this country have Alzheimer’s Disease and more than 300,000 individuals under the age of 65 have a diagnosis of AD. By the middle of this century, it is estimated that approximately 14 to 16 million people will have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease; 1 out of 8 baby boomers is at risk. The annual cost of Alzheimer’s disease will soar to at least $375 billion, overwhelming our health care system and bankrupting Medicare and Medicaid. Alzheimer’s disease does not happen overnight, it begins to attack the brain of its potential victims 10 to 20 years before the first symptoms appear. To protect today’s baby boomers from the ravage of Alzheimer’s Disease we have to find ways to stop this disease process now, while there is still time to prevent the damage.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to supporting families and caregivers by providing vital programs and services in local communities nationwide. The Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer research, having committed more than $200 million to research. A minimum of 75% of every dollar raised by the Alzheimer’s Association funds programs to promote research, find effective treatments, and improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer’s.
Oak Hollow Nursing Center is a 164 bed skilled nursing facility specializing in Subacute Care and Rehabilitation for those with Complex Medical Needs. Oak Hollow provides care for individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and other related disorders on a secure floor in the facility. Oak Hollow was the recipient of a training grant that enabled them to develop a unique program, the “Circle of Friends Neighborhood”, to provide quality of life to this special resident population. The goal of our “Circle of Friends Neighborhood” is to create a safe, secure and nurturing environment for residents; promote a sense of well being for the individual in need of such services; provide relief for caregivers while they participate in the plan of care; provide a structured, comprehensive program that provides a variant of health, social and related services in a protective 24 hour a day setting; and to retrofit an environmental design that will assist in attaining and maintaining the resident’s highest ability physically, mentally and psychologically. For more information please visit www.oakcares.com
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Health
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