Organizations we support
Early-stage Alzheimer’s support group
The Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Agency of Alaska (ADRAA), a non-profit organization based in Anchorage, provides support, information, and education to Alaskans state-wide, who are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD). Over the summer ADRAA received some exciting news--the Mental Health Trust Authority funded the agency to start a support group for individuals in the early-stages of ADRD.
In a 2005 survey conducted with family caregivers, ADRAA staff noted that 30% of respondents cited a need for support groups for people in the early stages of the disease. Several shared about the need for services at a critical time when individuals and families are coming to terms with the disease and also needing assistance with planning. Caregivers noted that their family members were not introduced to services until they were in the mid to later stages of the disease, long after they are able to be a part of the decision-making process.
ADRAA staff researched support group models and communicated with Robyn Yale, LCSW in San Francisco. Yale has 20 years of experience in the field of aging and Alzheimer’s disease. In 1986, she pioneered an innovative group for people in the early stages; this model has been replicated both nationally and internationally by the Alzheimer’s Association and other agencies and is outlined in her book, Developing Support Groups for Individuals with Early Stage Alzheimer’s Disease.
During the months of November and December, ADRAA staff will be interviewing individuals interested in participating in the group in Anchorage. The group will begin in January of 2006. There is no charge to participants. A group for family members will be held simultaneously.
ADRAA is hoping to reach more people newly diagnosed. Services can help increase knowledge of the disease, develop skills to cope with memory loss, increase awareness of community resources, and provide a forum for people to build relationships with others facing similar circumstances. For more information, call Julie Beatty at 561-3313, or stop by the ADRAA office, located at 1750 Abbott Road.
ADRAA is also seeking volunteers who would like to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease by participating in our Speaker’s Bureau. For more information on this or other volunteer opportunities, call 561-3313.