"What would happen to her if something happened to you?" A question for an Alzheimer's caregiver.
 FCHCC  
Celebrating 40 years of helping elders, persons with disabilities, and caregivers  lead independent lives.

Volume 7 | Issue 5 |  November 2015

Mo found ways to help his wife, Jeanne, feel a sense of purpose and meaning in her life, even as the stages of her Alzheimer's disease progressed.

Continue reading his series about being an Alzheimer's Caregiver below.
November is both National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. 
Many family caregivers, like Mo Grossberger, shown at right with his late wife, Jeanne, provide support to their loved ones who have Alzheimer's. 

We offer support to caregivers including a  Dementia Caregivers Support Group , which meets the first and third Wednesday of each month from 5-7 p.m. in the large conference room here at FCHCC, 330 Montague City Road, Turners Falls, Mass. Learn more about our other support options for caregivers   and find stories and more resources below.
Advice for the loved ones of someone with Alzheimer's:
How a caregiver can help to maintain a dying dignity
Nikol Schreiver, MA, CMHC, Protective Service Worker, FCHCC
Opening the gateway of understanding must occur if "we" as "helpers" are going to offer an appropriate quality of life.

So what is the Alzheimer's experience? Imagine being told that within ten years or less you will no longer know who you are or who your family is. How might you feel? Your response may be to scream, get mad, or even be depressed. You may withdraw, and feel ashamed.

Understanding what someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease may be feeling is critical in supporting them through the disease progression. 

Read more of the popular series by Mo Grossberger!Mo
Lessons Learned: One man's journey as an Alzheimer's Caregiver
Mo Grossberger
Part 2
We moved to Massachusetts to be closer to Jeanne's mother, who had very advanced Alzheimer's.

I remember the last time Hazel and I had a conversation:

"Hi, Hazel, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, Doctor, I remember you."

"Do you know where you are?"

She looked around the living room where she had lived for over 50 years. "No, Doctor, I don't know where  we are."

I pointed to a painting she had of the Great Wall of China. "What would you say if I told you that you walked the Great Wall of China?"

She replied, most uncharacteristically, "Doctor, I'd have to say you are full of crap."

An invitation from NPR:
This Thanksgiving, Listen To (And Interview) Your Elders
"StoryCorps has an assignment as generations gather this Thanksgiving: Document the stories and voices of a grandparent or elder.

"The project is called The Great Thanksgiving Listen, and StoryCorps is asking history teachers to encourage their students to record the interviews using the StoryCorps app over Thanksgiving weekend. The app helps users select questions and record and then upload interviews to the StoryCorps archive in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress...."

From The Boston Globe
Better communication can help couples affected by Alzheimer's
"As Alzheimer's disease progresses, cognitive impairment can take an ever greater toll on communication and relationships. A new study identifies patterns of communication that can help couples affected by Alzheimer's maintain a sense of connection, which could improve quality of life for both partners....

"Identifying patterns that help couples maintain their bond could make it easier for caregiving spouses to find meaning and improve satisfaction with their marriage...."

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Here at FCHCC, we offer many different programs and services designed to meet your unique needs.  Think of us as the guide to what you need. We don't know all of the answers, but we know who to ask. If we can't help you, we'll tell you who can. It all starts with the Information & Caregiver Resource Center. Call 413-773-5555 or 978-544-2259 during normal business hours or email info@fchcc.org anytime.

You can read more about our programs at www.fchcc.org

  

Sincerely,

  


Roseann Martoccia
Franklin County Home Care Corporation


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