In Oklahoma City, Alzheimer’s planning is very important when individuals are diagnosed with this condition. Alzheimer’s affects thepatient as well as the family of the patient. It is a progressive condition, so symptoms become worse over time.
Eventually, for many sufferers, living independently becomes impossible. For family members providing care, keeping the Alzheimer’s patient safe can become a full time job. Many patients with Alzheimer’s will be forced to move into nursing care facilities at some point, which is one of the reasons why advanced planning is so important after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
While Alzheimer’s is a serious medical condition with profound effects for sufferers and families, many people are not fully aware of what Alzheimer’s patients endure. Most families don’t realize that the disease could one day affect them. For this reason, residents of an Oklahoma City retirement home want to bring more attention to Alzheimer’s, and News Oklahoma reports that these seniors organized several Alzheimer’s awareness events.
Oklahoma City Retirement Home Residents Take Up the Cause of Alzheimer’s Awareness
According to News Oklahoma, Concordia Life Care Community has joined forces with the Oklahoma chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness of the fact that Alzheimer’s affects more than five million Americans.
A number of events were scheduled as part of this effort to draw attention to the plight of Alzheimer’s sufferers. Concordia Life Care Community invited the education coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association to host lectures to provide practical information about Alzheimer’s.
The lecture series took place in September. Lectures were held on Wednesdays at Concordia Life Care Community. One of the lectures focused on the basics of the disease and how to respond to behavior resulting from dementia. Another focused on the legal and financial planning that Alzheimer’s patients need to do.
Concordia Life Care Community also acted as a sponsor for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and residents of the community and staff members participated in the Walk, which was held on September 24, 2016. The event was one of more than 600 similar events throughout the United States each year to increase funding for Alzheimer’s research, support for Alzheimer’s patients, and care of Alzheimer’s sufferers.
The Community hosted an independent fund raiser aimed at raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association. The event was called the NuStep Challenge and took place on September 22. It began at 9:00 AM, continued for 24 hours, and involved staff members and residents from Concordia Life Care Community riding a special bicycle built for people of all ages and skill levels. The riders and staff committed to riding a bike in exchange for dollar donations. For each minute the bike was ridden, one dollar was donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Why is Alzheimer’s Awareness so Important?
Alzheimer’s awareness is vital because many people don’t realize the great risk of Alzheimer’s. One out of every nine people 65 or older has Alzheimer’s disease. Someone develops Alzheimer’s an average of once every 66 seconds.
If more people were aware of the condition, Oklahoma City Alzheimer’s planning would be more common and people could plan ahead to ensure they get the care they need and protect their legacies in case of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. More knowledge of the prevalence of the Alzheimer’s disease will drive more funding to Alzheimer’s research and education.
The Education Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association commented: “Partnerships with retirement communities like Concordia are so important to achieving our mission of improving and funding the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.” She believes that through partnerships like this one it will be possible to: “drive public understanding and support for loved ones and community members with Alzheimer’s disease.”
Getting Help with Oklahoma City Alzheimer’s Planning
Hopefully, with more awareness events like this, more people will take part in Alzheimer’s planning. Planning ahead is essential so an Alzheimer’s patient can make his or her preferences on medical care known while still of sound mind. An advanced plan should also involve how to pay for nursing home care, to protect assets, and to protect your legacy.
Parman & Easterday can provide help with Oklahoma City Alzheimer’s planning and with many of the issues that Alzheimer’s patients and their families face. Give us a call today at (405) 703-9987 or contact us online to find out more about how we can provide assistance.
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