A media impression is counted anytime the
media mentions the association, including paid
advertising, Green said. “But our advertising
budget is pretty modest. We’re just doing all we
can to get the word out,” she said.
Vulgaris-Rodriguez said while most people
know Alzheimer’s to be a devastating disease,
“
many don’t really understand it. For example,
it is not a normal part of aging, as many be-
lieve. Also, Alzheimer’s is hereditary from the
mother’s side.”
She said more and more younger people are
being diagnosed with early onset. “What many
don’t realize, though, is that the disease starts
on a person seven to 10 years before the diagno-
sis is ever made,” she added.
The Alzheimer’s Association, Vulgaris-Ro-
drigues iterated, is as much about the caregiver
as it is the afflicted. “So often we see people try
to take care of their loved ones until they just
can’t cope any more. We encourage people to
contact us early on in the process so we can
help. There are financial and legal aspects that
nobody thinks about until it’s right upon them
and we help people learn how to engage their
loved one’s doctors in helping to manage their
care.
“
This has to be a partnership,” she added.
“
There is so much stress on the caregiver that of-
ten the caregiver passes away before the person
with the disease. Let us help you navigate those
waters.”
And still the family care giver is no longer the
primary consumer of the services the Alzheim-
er’s Association provides. It is the patient, who
because of earlier diagnoses is able to be more
involved in developing treatment plans. “We’re
are finding they want to be involved in their
care while they are still able to, including know-
ing what challenges they will be facing each
step of the way,” she said.
The association was given a boost in January
2011
when President Obama signed into law the
National Alzheimer’s Project Act that calls for
the coordination of research into Alzheimer’s
and education about the disease.
The act led to the adoption in May 2012 of
the National Alzheimer’s Project Plan, which
among other things sets goals for improving
financial support for family caregivers. It is
estimated families are providing $210 billion in
unpaid care for patients with Alzheimer’s and
other dementias. That’s largely because before, a
caregiver had to be certified to be funded.
NOT FOR PROFIT
SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN LAST YEAR’S WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S.
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