Maybe it started subtly, Dad started getting lost driving to places you thought he knew how to get to. Mom missed a doctor’s appointment and when the office reached you, they said it’s been happening a lot lately. Perhaps it was when your spouse stopped going out to play cards and got very defensive when you asked about it. The person you love has changed, and when you get the diagnosis, Dementia, you both feel more lost and confused than before.

Dementia is not part of normal aging, but it is an increasingly common terminal illness affecting 50 million people worldwide, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed each year, according to the World Health Organization. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, killing more people than breast and prostate cancer combined and costing the nation $290 billion in 2019, and a projected cost of $1.1 trillion by 2050.

While those numbers seem staggering, people who are caregivers for people with Dementia often feel isolated, alone and without the support they need. Here is where Franklin VNA & Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Association step in. July 18, 2:30 to  4 PM, they are holding Dementia Conversations, a program focused on how to have honest and caring conversations with family members about the problems that arise with a Dementia diagnosis.

“In home care, we see people living with Dementia all the time. So many of these people have wonderful, loving caregivers, who are simply overwhelmed by the amount of care they are being called upon to provide. With a diagnosis of Dementia, you can feel helpless and lost, but we want people to take that diagnosis as a crucial piece of information to help them feel in control,” says Krystin Albert, Director of Homecare for Franklin VNA & Hospice. “Once you know Dementia has affected someone you love, you can help them plan for their future. Who will help you care for your loved one? What about Advance Directives? This is where our VNA can help, and where programs like Dementia Conversations can help give you the first steps to take.”

The program is free but does require registration at 800-272-3900. If you have a loved one with Dementia, call to register for the program today.

You have a choice in your Homecare and Hospice provider.
Choose local. Choose Franklin VNA & Hospice.

For more information, call Franklin VNA & Hospice at (603) 934-3454 or visit www.FranklinVNA.org.