South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Free kit available for Alzheimer’s caregivers

An estimated 4 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the people who care for them are now getting a little extra help from the government.

The National Institute on Aging — the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — has come up with a free Caregiver Kit.

The kit explains AD and how it affects people, the symptoms and changes to expect and the medications that may help.

There are resources and suggested ways to make life easier for AD patients and their caregiver, including:

• Try to establish a routine for bathing, dressing, eating, sleeping, and so on.

• Take specific steps to make the home environment safe for the person with AD.

• Incorporate exercise and other simple, enjoyable activities into a daily routine for the person with AD.

For the free kit, call the NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at (800) 438-4380. The kit also is available in Spanish.