Grants From N.Y. State Help Bolster Alzheimer's Caregiver Support
HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y., Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thanks to a five-year, $7.5 million grant from the New York State Department of Health, the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley Chapter launched the CARES program this year. CARES -- which stands for Consultation, Assessment, Respite, Education and Support -- expands services to the 40,000 families affected by dementia in the Hudson Valley region, including Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties. Two additional grants are also helping the chapter better serve diverse and underserved communities.
Enhanced services include personalized assessments, care-plan development, professional family consultations with licensed social workers and specialized support groups for caregivers to discuss common concerns and strategies for addressing them.
Caregiver support groups conducted in Spanish have been established in Haverstraw, Newburgh and Yonkers. Specialized groups are also in development for the LGBT community and caregivers of people with fronto-temporal degeneration. A telephone support group has been established in Sullivan County and others are in planned by phone or with video chat capability in rural areas.
The CARES program calls for an increase in caregiver educational programs and trainings focusing on topics such as behavior management strategies, coping skills, legal and financial planning, resource availability and caregiver wellness.
Respite services, which provide caregivers with personal time for activities such as worship services or medical appointments, are also being developed. The Gathering Place, a worship respite care program, is now offered at The Lutheran Care Center at Concord Village in Poughkeepsie.
The CARES Program also boosts social engagement opportunities for people with memory loss and their caregivers to come together in a safe, supportive environment. These include interactive Music Socials with a licensed music therapist, Memory Cafes, where people with early-stage dementia and family caregivers share activities and lunch, and Wellness Retreats, where people with dementia and family caregivers enjoy a day of shared and separate activities with respite care provided.
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Its mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Its vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit www.alz.org/hudsonvalley or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
For more information, contact Communications Manager Dugan Radwin at [email protected] or 845.471.2655.
SOURCE Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley, NY
Share this article