by Mike Bush
LAS CRUCES — In light of a recent tragedy of an elderly Las Cruces man’s death after he walked away from his retirement home, local healthcare practitioners, senior services providers and members of law enforcement have come together to create a united community plan of education, awareness and a plan of action for individuals who have family members who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
The grassroots effort was spearheaded by five long-time associates and services providers in the area, including Jan Wimsatt, owner of Home Instead Senior Care, Audrey Hardman-Hartley from University Behavioral Health Hospital of El Paso, Alaina Johnson of The Heritage Assisted Living, Faith Lester of The Arbors of Del Rey, and Nicky Phillips of the Southwestern New Mexico Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
The group, now known as the Senior Safety Network, has received support and endorsement from key community agencies to unite to develop a comprehensive plan in order to better assure the health and safety of elderly people in the community. These organizations include: The Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Department, Casa de Oro, Cottonbloom, Mesilla Valley Hospice, Casa Bella, Village at Northrise, Ambercare, Good Samaritan Society, Mesilla Valley Hospital, Southwest Counseling Center, The Adobe Assisted Living, The Aristocrat Assisted Living, Life Options & Advocacy, Comfort Keepers, New Mexico Department of Aging and Long Term Services and Las Cruces Nursing Center.
Hardman-Hartley said service providers realize Alzheimer’s disease is a huge burden for family members, friends and caregivers.
“We feel at this time it is crucial to remind the community of services that are available to them free of charge.” she said. “Our sole mission is to get the word to the people who need it that they are not alone, and that there are many places to turn for help.”
Wimsatt said the group has developed a four-point agenda designed to create awareness, and to call families to action to get help,
“Firstly, they need to know the 10 signs of Alzheimer’s disease,” Wimsatt added. “That is crucial to recognizing that there is a problem, and that these signs are the first call to action to get a diagnosis.”
The signs are: Memory changes that disrupt daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, difficulty is completing familiar tasks, confusion with time and place, trouble understanding visual images or spatial relationships, new problems with words in speaking or writing, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, decreased or poor judgment, withdrawal from work or social activities, and changes in mood and personality.
When these signs appear, a visit to the individual’s primary care physician or a gerontologist is essential in obtaining a proper diagnosis, she added
Phillips points out, however, that there are differences between some of the signs of Alzheimer’s/dementia and typical age-related changes.
For example, although making a bad decision once in a while is simply human nature, “it is when this becomes a regular happening that family members should become concerned,” Phillips said.
Another example she uses is the inability to manage a budget. “While some of us may miss a monthly payment on a bill from time-to-time, it is more important to review how many times payments have either been missed or made inappropriately. If a checkbook is not properly maintained, or bills have not been paid in more than two months, it is again time to seek help.”
Johnson said seeking help is a crucial aspect of dealing with the disease, and the disease process.
“Help is available in many different forms. Our coming together as a group is to assure the people of our community that there are resources,” she said. “But two things are crucial here. One has to know where to get the help, and one must be aware that time is of the essence. Once you and your family know that something is wrong, do not wait to get the appropriate help.
“Many of us who have worked with seniors and their families for a number of years refer to Alzheimer’s Disease as the thief in the night,” she added. “It will steal everything from you before you know what happened,” Johnson said. “It is better to be prepared with an arsenal of assistance than to wait to see what may happen next.”
Lester illustrated the situation.
“One simple test is the clock test. Ask the individual who you suspect may have a problem to draw a clock for you. Ask them to draw the hands of the clock at 10:50,” Lester says. “If a person cannot perform that task, it is a sign that help is necessary. And I agree with Alaina. Do not wait.”
The group members have already met with community members and professionals, and have begun to develop a more comprehensive plan for missing elderly individuals. This first initiative is known as Code Helen. Code Helen — named for Helen’s law, which was enacted in April 2007 — accentuates the existing search-and-rescue system in place via law enforcement by providing an additional set of community-based eyes and ears to keep a lookout for a missing individual.
Volunteers throughout the community will use the technology they have at hand to disseminate information provided to them to get the word out about a missing individual’s description, and — when available — provide a picture.
The procedure for Code Helen is simple: Based upon a simple phone tree system, volunteers will call, text, and e-mail messages that carry the name, description and other pertinent information about the individual so that members of the community can be informed and keep a lookout for the missing individual.
Code Helen is not a means of replacing the existing search and rescue system of law enforcement. It is, rather, a means of paralleling and accentuating the current system.
The second initiative is a multi-level system of training for family members, providers and law enforcement officials in order to assure that these members of the community are aware of the services that are available to them. The training will be provided free of charge to anyone who needs it. For information, contact the New Mexico Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association at 575-647-3868, or via e-mal at nicky.phillips@alz.org.
The group members want to stress that, despite the fact that the network and the Code Helen System are still in their developmental stages, no one has to wait to obtain services. Individuals and family members can reach the Alzheimer’s Association at 575-647-3868, Hardman-Hartley at 915-525-5899, Wimsatt at 575-522-7133, Johnson at 575-642-1009, or Lester at 575-382-5200. Information and referral services are available free of charge.
CONTACT: Mike Bush, 575-317-6249