Americans Rank Alzheimer’s as Most Feared Disease,
According to New Marist Poll for Home Instead Senior
Care
Free Alzheimer’s
Training Available for Families in Birmingham and surrounding areas including
Jefferson and Shelby Counties to Support Family Caregivers
Home
Instead Senior Care®, the world’s leading
provider of home care services for seniors, today announced new survey results
revealing that Americans fear developing
Alzheimer’s
disease more than any other major life-threatening disease, including
cancer,
stroke, heart disease and diabetes.
The Marist Institute for Public Opinion survey of more than
1,200 Americans was designed to gain perspective on the most pressing concerns
associated with Alzheimer’s, including diagnosis and the difficulties of caring
for a loved one with the disease.
“The survey confirmed what I frequently hear from family
caregivers – people feel unprepared to care for a loved one diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s,” said Dan Pahos, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office in Birmingham
and surrounding areas including Jefferson and Shelby Counties. “The need for
support and education for these families is critical.”
Additional survey highlights
include:
·
Nearly
two-thirds of Americans (63
percent of respondents) have had a personal experience with someone with
Alzheimer’s and/or a serious
memory
loss problem.
·
61 percent of Americans feel unprepared
to care for a loved one diagnosed with the disease.
·
If diagnosed with the disease, Americans most
fear the inability to care for oneself, and burdening others (68 percent of
respondents); followed by losing memory of life and loved ones (32 percent of
respondents).
·
A plurality of Americans – 44 percent – cite the
illness as their most feared disease compared to 33 percent who cite cancer.
·
More than other generations, a majority of
Americans over 65 years of age (the silent/greatest generation) – 56 percent –
fear an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
·
When asked if it would be harder to receive an
Alzheimer’s diagnosis or care for someone with the disease, Americans are
equally split down the middle, 50/50.
Home Instead Senior Care
Offers a Solution for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
In response to the realities and concerns associated with
Alzheimer’s and in support of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the local Home
Instead Senior Care office is offering free, in-person Alzheimer’s CARE:
Changing Aging Through Research and Education
SM training sessions to
area family caregivers. For a schedule of training programs, please visit
www.helpforalzheimersfamilies.com.
“The Home Instead Alzheimer’s CARE program will provide free
counsel, support and instruction to area family caregivers,” added Pahos. “We
hope that by offering these workshops, more caregivers will be equipped with
the proper knowledge and tools to face the everyday challenges of the disease.”
The Alzheimer’s CARE program is a first-of-its-kind
Alzheimer’s
training addressing the current and future health needs by offering family
members a fresh approach to Alzheimer’s care. The approach encourages mental
engagement to help relatives remain safely at home and in familiar surroundings
as long as possible, and family members learn to immerse themselves in the
mindsets of their loved ones to help manage various behavioral symptoms.
Courses are available in person and online.
“The estimated 15 million Americans caring for a loved one
with Alzheimer’s are desperate for support and concerned about the care they
are providing,” said Dr. Amy D’Aprix, aging care expert and a developer of the
Home Instead Senior Care Alzheimer’s CARE training. “This training will help
them cope with daily challenges and prepare them to manage difficult
behaviors.”
For more information about the Alzheimer’s CARE program or
Home Instead Senior Care, call 205-822-1915.
##
ABOUT THE HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE/MARIST POLL
The Home Instead Senior Care/Marist Alzheimer’s Poll surveyed 1,247 U.S.
adults ages 18 and older. Live interviewers conducted the survey with landline
households and cell phone users from Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2012. MOE is +/-
2.8 percentage points. Note, the survey sample size was lower for
questions pertaining to direct experience with Alzheimer’s disease personally
and/or through a family member or friend.
*Reduced survey sample size of 280 U.S. adults ages 18 and older who know
someone with Alzheimer’s Disease and are involved with their care with MOE of
+/-5.9 percentage points.
ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE
Founded in 1994 in Omaha by Lori and Paul Hogan, the
Home Instead Senior Care® network is the world's leading provider
of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 950
independently owned and operated franchises providing in excess of 45 million
hours of care throughout the United States, Canada,
Japan, Portugal, Australia, New
Zealand, Ireland, the United
Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, South
Korea, Finland, Austria,
Italy, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands. Local Home Instead Senior Care
franchise offices employ more than 65,000 CAREGivers
SM worldwide who
provide basic support services – assistance with activities of daily living
(ADLs), personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation, light
housekeeping, errands, incidental transportation and shopping – which enable
seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as
possible. In addition, CAREGivers are trained in the network’s
groundbreaking Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias CARE: Changing Aging
Through Research and Education
SM Program to work with seniors who
suffer from these conditions. This world class curriculum also is available
free to family caregivers online or through local Home Instead Senior Care
offices.
At
Home Instead Senior Care, it’s relationship before task, while continuing to
provide superior quality service that enhances the lives of seniors everywhere.
Posts
