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West Florida to offer 'Alzheimer's 101: What Caregivers Need to Know' On Thursday, March 23, West Florida Hospital will offer a free educational program from 9 10:30 a.m. entitled "Alzheimer's 101: What Caregivers Need to Know." The class will be held in the offices of Adult Medicine & Senior Health Services, 10th Floor, Medical Tower Building, 8333 North Davis Highway, Pensacola. The topic will be "Resources for Caregivers" and will be presented by Gwen Rhodes, Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging. The program is intended to assist caregivers with understanding the needs and behaviors of the person diagnosed with progressive memory loss. Caregivers will learn about community resources and important steps in planning and managing care. The class is open to the public and would be beneficial to anyone who cares for a person with Alzheimer's disease. "Alzheimer's 101: What Caregivers Need to Know" is sponsored by Adult Medicine & Senior Health Services, the Memory Disorder Clinic, and the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs Alzheimer's Disease Initiative. An estimated four million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a progressive, irreversible condition that destroys brain nerve cells and other structures in the central nervous system. People with Alzheimer's disease gradually develop dementia, a loss of memory, problems with reasoning or judgment, disorientation, difficulty learning, loss of language skills, and decline in the ability to perform routine tasks. They also experience behavioral problems and personality changes, such as agitation, anxiety, delusions (believing in a reality that does not exist), and hallucinations (seeing things that do not exist). At this time, there is no medical treatment to cure or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. However, four FDA-approved drugstacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine--may temporarily improve or stabilize memory and thinking skills in some individuals. Reservations are required. For more information or to register for this free session, call (850) 494-6497. |
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