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Free session to help Alzheimer's caregivers

The free seminar is intended to give practical advice to caregivers who may need to communicate in new ways.

By KAREN DAVISON, Times Correspondent
Published November 23, 2007

UNIVERSITY 

As Alzheimer's disease progresses, the list of lost brain functions becomes long and devastating: problem solving, reasoning, thinking logically, making decisions, learning new things, sequencing, reading, comprehending language and, of course, remembering.

For caregivers, communicating with loved ones in the usual way just won't work.

"You have to adjust to their reality," said Eileen Poiley, director of education at the USF Suncoast Alzheimer's and Gerontology Center. "You have to understand where they are coming from and how they process things."

For example:

An hour after a person with Alzheimer's eats breakfast, he says, "I'm hungry." The caregiver naturally tries to re-create the memory of the meal, to remind the person about the eggs or the toast or the cereal. But instead of helping, the prompting agitates.

For the person with Alzheimer's, no memory exists. His brain has lost the ability to store memories. And if it can't store them, he can't retrieve them.

"That memory is absolutely gone," Poiley said. "It's like a computer without a save button."

Instead of arguing, the caregiver can cut the meal in half, serve one portion and save the other half for later.

This is the type of practical solution caregivers of people with Alzheimer's will hear at a free seminar sponsored by the University of South Florida Suncoast Alzheimer's and Gerontology Center and Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center on Thursday.

The speakers at the interactive program will help caregivers understand what is happening to the person with Alzheimer's and will share strategies to communicate. Caregivers will have time to ask about their own situations.

Poiley told of a woman with Alzheimer's who thought her mother was still alive. She repeatedly got dressed up, waiting for her mother to visit. Each time the caregiver told her that her mother had died, she grieved all day.

The staff from the center suggested that the caregiver redirect. "Why don't you say, 'Your mother's not able to come today. What was it you did with your mother that you liked? Making cookies? Let's go make cookies.' "

The "power of the example" remains one of the greatest benefits of the seminars, said Eric Pfeiffer, director of the USF Suncoast Alzheimer's and Gerontology Center.

Those attending will also hear about research and opportunities to participate. Current treatment slows progression of the disease for one to two years, Dr. Pfeiffer said. He anticipates the next wave of drugs being studied will slow progression three to five years.

Caregivers - who are typically a spouse or adult child, but could be a grandchild, sibling, neighbor or friend - will also learn coping strategies for themselves.

"They really are the second victim of this disease," Pfeiffer said. "They adapt to new circumstances every week or month. Tomorrow comes and things are a bit worse."

He said previous participants have described the conference as a lifeline.

An elder care attorney will discuss legal and financial issues. Lunch will be provided. Additional seminars will be held Dec. 5 in Lakeland and Dec. 13 in New Port Richey.

IF YOU GO

Help for caregivers

The Alzheimer's caregiver seminar is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at University Village Retirement Center, 12401 N 22nd St., Tampa. It is free, but registration is requested. Call (813) 974-4355 or 1-800-633-4563.

[Last modified November 21, 2007, 07:51:44]