First Lending Library Focused on Dementia and Alzheimer's in Southwest Washington

TIGARD, Ore., Aug. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- An estimated 5.2 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease, including approximately 200,000 individuals younger than age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is the 3^rd leading cause of death in Washington.

Millions of Americans are caring for family members with dementia and Alzheimer's. This may be a spouse in the case of early-onset dementia or boomers caring for elderly parents.

As this situation intensifies, the need for local community resources including support groups, healthcare related resources, and materials that address the transition caregivers go through increases. 

Resources now available in Southwest Washington:

Elite Care has been transforming health care services for the elderly since 2000. Their Sylvan Park campus in Vancouver offers a welcome alternative to traditional assisted living through a unique culture, architecture, and technology.

The Jacobson Memorial Dementia Resource Library at Elite Care's Sylvan Park campus opens its doors to the community today. The library is named after the late Ralph Spencer Jacobson, a former resident who lived and loved life well - books were his true passion. His name is the most fitting for a library. According to his daughter, Ralph could do anything and everything he did, he did with passion, skill and knowledge – gleaned from experience and from his library.

Call to action: Valuable dementia related resources needed

Valuable dementia related resources will be kept at the library – Elite Care is collecting books, videos, studies and articles from the community throughout the summer. For more information, please contact Maria Cura at: [email protected].

"The opening of the Jacobson Memorial Dementia Library directly aligns with our mission and focus on relationship-based community care. As elders in the community are diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the family members need a resource to help educate them on the major signs of this horrible disease," said Jason Hess, Elite Care's Chief Executive Officer. "We are grateful for the support of the community, the support of HOPE and welcome donations of dementia related resources."  

Library Strengthens Partnership With HOPE

Starting in late August, Elite Care will partner with HOPE, an organization based in Vancouver that provides advocacy, support and education to individuals caring for people with all types of dementia, as their memory care support group facilitators will hold sessions with caregivers at Elite Care's Sylvan Park campus.  

"HOPE cares for the caregiver.  Our meetings are structured that there is a time to laugh, there is a time to learn, and a time to share.  We need laughter to remind us that there is still joy - we just have to look a little harder to find it. There is currently no cure for this disease, but we can become knowledgeable about the disease, and we can learn what to expect.  And then we share about our week.  We may cry, we may be mad and frustrated, but in the end we are renewed, and ready to face another week. Having a location at Elite Care's Sylvan Park campus to hold sessions with caregivers is an ideal environment for intimate discussions about sensitive issues," said Jan Malone, HOPE's Executive Director.

The resource library will increase awareness about dementia within the community and serve the families that both Elite Care and HOPE support.

Contact:  For more information, contact Christine Caplan, on behalf of Elite Care, 503-412-8850 or [email protected].

About Elite Care Management Group, LLC:

Since 2000, Elite Care has been transforming health and memory care services for the elderly in the Pacific Northwest. The Elite Care Extended Family Residences™ located in Portland and Tigard, Oregon as well as Vancouver, Washington are a welcome alternative to the downward spiral of traditional assisted living. Residences feature a culture that advocates life engagement, architecture that emphasizes familial gatherings, and technology that promotes safety with autonomy. This Culture, Architecture, and Technology provides a high quality, meaningful life, without regard to age, diagnosis, or ability.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140814/136143

SOURCE Elite Care Management Group, LLC