Senior News

By Diane Kittelson, Pope County Senior Services Consultant/Coordinator

As the number of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia grows, so too, will the need for caregiving. Many people wonder what the difference is between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is an overall term for a particular group of symptoms, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The typical symptoms of dementia are difficulties with memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking skills that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Dementia has many causes, Alzheimer’s being the most common.

Dementia caregiving often entails lengthy and exhaustive assistance which can take a toll on caregiver’s health, well-being and productivity. In 2020 the number of people 65 and older in Minnesota with Alzheimer’s was 99,000. This is expected to increase to 120,000 by 2025; an increase of 21.2%. We can only expect to see a rise in family caregiving with these numbers. This responsibility can have deep lasting effects, both positive and negative. As caregiving responsibilities grow, caregivers begin to experience many changes in their lives. The average duration of caregiving is reported to be 4.5 years.

As a community we need to recognize the importance of caregiving and the stressors it may be adding to our friends and family. The most common denominator in reducing caregiver strain is support. Please contact Western Prairie Parkways Senior Programs’ Caregiver Consultant for information about Alzheimer’s and Caregiving at 320-634-7837.  Remind the caregivers you know that there is a Caregiver Support Group held the 1st Wednesday of each month from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Starbuck Airport. Offer to sit with the care recipient so they can attend or take a break with some time for themselves.