The most recent Alzheimer’s Association Reports reveals sharp increases in the prevalence, deaths and cost of care for people with the disease. As the number of older Americans grows so will the numbers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease. Resulting in a significant impact not only to Georgia’s economy but most importantly to their families and caregivers. And given the long duration of this disease, the strain on Alzheimer’s caregivers and their families can last several years and produce serious declines in caregiver physical, emotional and financial wellbeing.
Having traveled this path with my family and, as a caregiver myself, I founded Phil’s Friends to help others on this journey and improve their ability to care for their “loved ones” with memory loss disorders for as long as possible. With the support of the Coweta/Fayette communities we will provide services in three areas: Education, Medical Equipment and Home Modifications.
Nearly half of US caregivers provide help to older adults, or to someone with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia. Therefore, there is a substantial need for education and enhanced understanding regarding the disease. We will cover a number of the topics including: Home Care, The Stages and Manifestation of Alzheimer’s Disease, Home Modifications, Daily Living Activities, Managing Wandering, Caregiving Stress, Medicare and private insurance, and Financial Counseling.
Collecting and repairing medical equipment and redistributing to families without insurance, whose insurance will not provide the required equipment (underinsured) or for equipment needed before insurance benefits begins. Examples of equipment include new wheels for wheelchairs, lifts, new mattresses for hospital beds, walkers, bed rails, generic over the counter medical supplies.
Each person with Alzheimer’s is different – both in the stage of the disease and its manifestation of symptoms. Therefore, while there are numerous home modifications that facilitate safely caring for your loved one with Alzheimer’s not all modifications will apply in every situation. Phil’s Friends, along with suppliers and local contractor partners will provide many of the various modifications needed (i.e. build and install ramps, widen doorways for wheelchairs, and modify bathrooms one family at a time.
A Fidget Quilt or activity blanket is a lap quilt that provides sensory and tactile stimulation for the restless hands of someone with Alzheimer’s and/or other forms of dementia.
A group out of Newnan, Georgia makes them for free!
If you would to get one for your loved one, call 1 (800) 272-3900 or visit https://www.alz.org/georgia.
Detecting possible cognitive impairment is the first step in determining whether or not patient needs further evaluation. Because the use of a cognitive assessment instrument can improve detection of dementia in primary care settings, the Alzheimer's Association has identified several brief tools to evaluate cognition, all which can be administered in five minutes or less by a physician or other trained staff.
Phil’s Friends, Inc, was founded and named for my Dad, Philip Edward Lawrence. Dad was 100% disabled from a motor cycle accident that occurred in 1972. My Mom, June was his caregiver for 46 years. As a child growing up with a disabled father one tends to look at things differently. Not only are you focused on the care of your family member but the logistics of how to adjust to what had become, our new NORMAL...medication, wheelchairs, doctor’s appointments but most importantly learning to understand his altered communication. As a 9-year old everything in our “new Normal” revolved around how to care for my Dad. My Dad had front left lobe damage along with a long list of other physical disabilities and was able to lead what we considered an amazing life. However, we started to notice changes in his ability to perform tasks he had accomplished for years with no problem about 5 years before he passed. After numerous conversations and visits to his doctors, it became very clear that our “new NORMAL” was now complicated by dementia.
