LAKELAND, Fla. — More than 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and that number is growing fast, leaving more people responsible for taking care of loved ones with the disease.
Audra Kosensky is no stranger to being a caregiver. As a teen, she helped care for her great-grandmother, who passed away from Alzheimer's disease.
Kosensky eventually found herself caring for her grandmother and grandfather, both of whom suffered from dementia.
“It was very difficult, especially on days when they were both very forgetful. My grandma especially was more cantankerous than my grandpa,” Kosensky said.
Some of the greatest challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia are the personality and behavior changes that often occur.
Kosensky remembers feeling the most overwhelmed when she was feeding her great-grandmother cake on her 99th birthday.
“She forgot who I was and what the situation was, and she took a bite, chewed a couple times, and then spit it back in my face. I was mortified at the moment because I knew if she knew who I was, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Kosensky.
Unlike many other long-term health conditions, the majority of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia receive care from an unpaid relative or friend.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast chapter, more than 827,000 Floridians serve as unpaid caregivers for a loved one living with dementia.
“We know that caregivers that are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's and dementia, the whole day is not filled with really great moments, but we also know that there is special moments within a day that can be created,” said Jody Streussnig, Program Manager for Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast chapter.
A new program from the Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast chapter is helping caregivers learn to create moments that matter.
The free course happening on Friday in Lakeland and Saturday in Sun City Center will offer tips for the unique challenges dementia caregivers face.
“Memories are connected to senses. A loved one might not understand a caregiver’s words, but they will know the taste of a bowl of food, watching a child or loved one in an activity or enjoying the outdoors,” Streussnig said.
A newly approved drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called Leqembi could help people with Alzheimer's disease preserve every moment and memory.
Researchers said Leqembi is proven to slow the progression of Alzheimer's for people in the early stages by as much as 27%.
“It affects so many people, and so differently, so something like that would be life-changing, not just for my family but so many people,” Kosensky said.
New numbers released on Thursday on elder care in the U.S. show that a majority of caretakers were women and that 57% of elder care providers are part of the "sandwich generation," which means they're in between two generations that need care.
The Alzheimer's Association is encouraging those who may qualify to talk with their healthcare provider.
To register for the free “Creating Moments That Matter” event, call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
