Aging in Our Community A Message from W. Mark Clark, President and CEO
Brain Health Screenings Powerful Tools for Planning As an adult in my late forties, my
activities, volunteer and even work. This early stage can last for years, during which it’s possible for people with dementia to live well by focusing on health, wellness, and those things meaningful for them. Many people find comfort and empowerment in putting legal, financial, and end-of-life plans in place during this period, when they can clearly make and articulate important decisions. As the disease progresses, health and cognitive function decline, but people living with dementia are still able to participate in and enjoy many aspects of life. PCOA launched the Dementia Capable Southern Arizona program two years ago to expand our community’s ability to support, include and understand those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers. In partnership with local government, we are creating a dementia-friendly communities plan to make southern Arizona a better place for people living with dementia and those who care for them. Because early detection matters, we help increase the identification of people with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias and make referrals to appropriate resources. We are excited to introduce Memory Cafés in Pima County, and to partner with local businesses to provide training and support to caregivers in the workplace. Visit DCSA.pcoa.org to learn more. As we focus on brain health this month, I encourage you to take our free memory screening by calling the PCOA Helpline at 520.790.7262 or completing the referral form at pcoa.org/dementiareferral. Based on the results of the screening, our Options Counselors will work with
you and your family in creating a person- centered plan that can include general information, resources and referrals as needed. They will also provide dementia education and support for symptom management. PCOA recently co-hosted a screening and education event with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute for a Lilly Alzheimer’s clinical drug trial at our Katie Dusenberry Healthy Aging Center. With encouragement from staff, my informal popping by to see how the day was going became my own participation in the initial screening. Based on that screening, it seems the occasional lapses of memory I sometimes experience are likely best chalked up to normal effects of aging, much to my great relief. With my family history, and Alzheimer’s and related dementias on the rise, the peace of mind that comes with some degree of understanding about my brain health is something I highly recommend. Whether such cognitive screenings and subsequent diagnostic tests by a physician ultimately lead to a clean slate of health or a less encouraging diagnosis, knowledge is empowering and can give you the tools to make important decisions about how you spend your time and prepare for the future.
stepmother, who served as full-time caregiver for my father, requested my assistance so she could take a greatly deserved weekend away, and I agreed to care for my dad in her absence. My father, who was by that time experiencing what I have come to realize were significant signs of dementia, was using a wheelchair and required near round-the-clock care and monitoring. I would need to go to the grocery store, my stepmother told me, and Dad liked to go, too. And I would need to sleep in the same bed with him, as he was apt to get up and wander. My father, a former public school principal, had for most of my life been a powerful man with high expectations for himself, others, and certainly for me. To care for him in this very vulnerable stage of his life was humbling, physically and mentally challenging, and heartbreaking. At one point during the weekend, I became overwhelmed with emotion. When Dad saw my tears, in a moment of clarity, he asked what was wrong, and I told him it was difficult for me to see him this way. With genuine love and concern, he suggested I should not come around anymore, since it distressed me so. I’ve come to understand that my father was at that time in a fairly advanced stage of his disease, but as is true for most people with dementia, had lived for a number of years with milder symptoms that worsened over time. In the early stage of dementia, most people function independently, drive, take part in social
W.Mark Clark President & CEO
June 2022, Never Too Late | Page 3
Pima Council on Aging
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