Just last week I was at Grove Park Baptist Church. I presented a workshop “Normal/Not Normal Aging”. They had a great attendance for a cold rainy night of about 50. Some of them attended because they are caring for a person living with a condition of dementia and others attended because they had cared for a person living with dementia. Then others attended to obtain the knowledge of this disease. My good friend and past co-worker Marie Faircloth came and assisted me with my presentation. Marie is the Dementia Education/Alzheimer’s Support Group Facilitator with Sampson County Department of Aging. Knowledge is power when you are living with dementia. When caring for a person living with dementia the whole family lives with this disease. It takes a coordinated effort with family and friends to provide care for a person living with dementia. It also takes a coordinated effort with family, friends and church family to provide care and support for the caregiver.

Being a caregiver to a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease (the number one condition of dementia) is most exhausting and will deplete you of energy, self-esteem and mental wellbeing. I loved the fact that Grove Park was interested in this presentation for a number of reasons, but one of those reasons was to know and understand how they can support caregivers. First you must understand what a person living with this disease goes through, then you understand what the caregiver is going through and then you will know ways you can help provide support. Remember I said “Knowledge is Power”? Think about that for a moment, when we educate ourselves, when we know the aspects of this disease and know how to approach this disease (the person living with dementia and the family living with dementia) we have the power to help and assist. Many times, I have heard people say in regards to a person living with dementia and the caregiver, “I don’t know what I can do to help” or “I don’t know a lot about Alzherimer’s, I don’t know what to expect”. With that attitude they just walk away and do nothing. I want to encourage you to not miss an opportunity to reach out and help. There are so many ways that churches can provide support to the many caregivers in their church family. Next week I will list and explain some of those ways, so keep in touch!

I want to share some great resources with, please check them out! Project CARE (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty), this program will help you with Respite up to $500. You can contact Audrey Marshall at 910-408-6365. Audrey will be glad to help you with respite. It is a voucher program and Sampson County has a limited number of vouchers. So, you will want to check with her ASAP.

Another resource is Dementia Alliance of North Carolina. You can contact Lisa Levine at 919-832-3732. This agency has a number of ways they can help with education, respite, caregiver support and much more! Another resource is MARS Memory-Health Network (marsmemory.com). This agency is located In Wilmington. You can contact them at 910-791-6277. Sampson County Department of Aging Family Caregiver Support Program also has a respite program, you can contact Lori Sutton at 910-592-4653.

Marie Faircloth would love for you to come join her the second Tuesday of each month at Sampson County Department of Aging 405 County Complex Road, Clinton, for the Dementia Education/Alzheimer’s Support Group. You can reach her at 910-596-8246 or 910-592-4653. I want to remind you about Sampson PEACE, this is the Advance Directive help that you can receive free of charge. They will be holding a clinic on April 11th 8:00-12:30 at the Sampson County Health Department. FMI about this free clinic contact Sampson County Department of Aging 910-592-4653. Keep in touch for next week as I will be sharing ways churches can help provide support for caregivers. You can contact me at [email protected]. Hope you have a “Best Day Ever”!

Henderson
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By Lesia Henderson

Contributing columnist

Lesia Henderson is a Positive Approach to Care certified independent trainer.