The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 5.8 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. The association projects this number will increase to nearly 14 million by 2050.
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Donna Beal, vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association Central Coast Chapter, said it’s hard to pin down an exact cause for this increase. However, she said, there are some factors that may play a role.
“There’s no 100 percent proof here, but we think that the baby boomer generation—who there’s a lot of—they’re reaching the age of greatest risk,” Beal said. “And I think when you get a bigger potential candidate list, there’s more potential for folks to get diagnosed.”
Additionally, she said, people may have a greater sense of awareness about the disease, which may lead to more people being tested and subsequently diagnosed.
The association works on raising awareness through a variety of public events. The largest of which are annual walks that each of the association’s 80 chapters throughout the U.S. host every year.
The Central Coast Chapter is hosting five, with one taking place in Santa Maria on Sept. 28. Beal said participants can either walk or run the 5K event at Waller Park, with shorter options available as well. In addition to raising awareness, this event is also the chapter’s largest fundraiser of the year.
“People can show up the day of the walk and sign up,” Beal said. “It’s donation based … . We tell folks that they don’t have to raise money to participate in the walk.”
Along with this event, the chapter is holding its two final workshops for the year in October and November in Santa Maria. These classes are designed to educate caregivers assisting a family member with Alzheimer’s. Beal leads both workshops, which take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Elwin Mussell Senior Center in Santa Maria.
During the first class on Oct. 8, Beal will discuss cognitive and physical changes that take place as the disease progresses. During the second workshop on Nov. 12, Beal will discuss legal plans, as well as different care options, such as hospice and palliative, that caregivers need to consider.
In January, Beal is kicking off a new series of monthly workshops. She said the workshops start with the diagnosis and early stages of the disease and move throughout the course of the disease, until the final workshops, which discuss what takes place when a person reaches the end of their life.
“The design of the classes is to help caregivers understand the journey in front of them,” Beal said.
The workshops can help caregivers take care of and connect with their loved ones, but because there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s, the classes can’t improve the health of a patient. However, educating caregivers can improve their own outcome, Beal said.
“We know we can’t affect the health outcome of the person with the disease, but we can affect the health outcome of the caregiver,” Beal said.
Highlights:
• Allan Hancock College Student Health Services and Transitions-Mental Health Association hosted a suicide prevention forum on Sept. 13 at the Marian Theatre on the college’s Santa Maria campus. Several speakers spoke at the event, including Jordan Burnham of the Minding Your Mind Foundation. For details, visit hancockcollege.edu/health_services.
• The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce presented Santa Maria City Council with the chamber’s annual economic development and tourism report. According to the report, occupancy rates at hotels within the city increased by 2 percent over the last year. For more information, visit santamaria.com.
Staff Writer Zac Ezzone wrote this week’s Spotlight. Send ideas, news tips, and interesting tidbits to spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 26 – Oct 3, 2019.
