Alzheimer's Care
Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive and incurable disease that attacks brain cells, resulting in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Many options are available to assist families and other caregivers through education, support and services.
In-Home Respite Care
Respite care can ease the burden on families and caregivers by providing a brief break from caring for an individual at home with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. A trained home care aide can provide the supervision and service necessary for families and caregivers to attend appointments, go to the grocery store, or simply take a nap and get needed rest from their caregiving responsibilities.
Adult Day Service
Adult day service can provide assistance for families and caregivers who cannot leave an older adult alone due to their cognitive impairment. Adult Day Centers provide structured, therapeutic group and individual activities as well as a hot lunch and snacks. The socialization and mental stimulation for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and/or dementia often enables them to remain independent as long as possible. Often times transportation to and from the center may be provided as well.
Adult Day Service is available in Gallia and Scioto counties. To access this service or for more information, contact the Gallia County Council on Aging at 740-446-7000 or United Scioto Senior Activities at 740-354-6672
Education and Support
The Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. contracts with two Alzheimer’s Associations to provide a variety of services for persons and their families with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Telephone Hotline: a toll-free phone number and local information and support services for families, professionals and the general public.
- Support Groups: ongoing groups of family members who share information and provide support to one another.
- Family Education: educational programs for family members caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Public Education: educational programs and materials geared toward the general public.
- Professional Education: educational programs for professionals and paraprofessionals working with people with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Newsletters
- Safe Return: a national program that helps return people home safely if they wander away and become lost.
The Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio (Columbus) provides these services in Pike and Ross counties. The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Cincinnati provides these services in Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Scioto, and Vinton counties. They can be reached at 800-272-3900.
Project Lifesaver
The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, autism, and other related conditions or disorders.
Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local Project Lifesaver agency, and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area. Most who wander are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. Recovery times for PLI clients average 30 minutes – 95% less than standard operations.
The local partners for Project Lifesaver in AAA7’s district are:
Gallia County Sheriff’s Office 740-446-1221
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office 740-286-3616
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office 740-532-3525
Pike County Sheriff’s Office 740-947-2111
Ross County Sheriff’s Office 740-773-1186
Scioto County Sheriff’s Office 740-355-8261
Contact these partners directly for enrollment into the Project Lifesaver Program.