Caregiver Education and Support, When You Need it, Where You Need it.
Caregiver education and support services are often limited or nonexistent in rural areas. The Alzheimer’s Rural Care Healthline (ARCH) program was created to meet this need. The program helps people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia (e.g., Parkinson’s and Pick’s disease) to increase their caregiving skills and emotional well-being. One of the best things about the program is that caregivers get all the benefits of a support group via the toll-free telephone, so they never have to leave home.
The telephone skills-building and support program consists of 12 weekly sessions, including seven group sessions on topics, such as relaxation, problem-solving skills and stress management, and five individual sessions that focus on participants’ personal caregiving concerns. The program also deals with common caregiver issues, such as giving medicines, dealing with agitated or aggressive behavior, safety and wandering issues and talking with your doctor.
If you or someone you know is taking care of a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of memory disorder, please call ARCH toll-free at (1-866-778-2724) for more information on how to receive these services.
The ARCH project is funded by a grant from the Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute.
