November 11, 2002
Baptist Alzheimer's ministries expanding in Texas
___By Scott Collins
___Buckner News Service
___It is mispronounced nearly as often as it is misunderstood. And even in this modern age of acceptance and tolerance, Alzheimer's disease is frequently discussed only in hushed tones.
___Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan, has called the disease that has afflicted her husband for years "the long
goodbye." David Shenk, author of the new book "The Forgetting," calls Alzheimer's "death by a thousand subtractions."
___In August, Americans heard veteran screen actor Charlton Heston announce through the national media that he may have Alzheimer's disease, an act the Alzheimer's Association said "demonstrated great strength and courage."
___Daily, it seems, researchers announce they are closer to solving the puzzle that is Alzheimer's only to leave waiting families even more anxious for a cure, a vaccine or any concrete progress in battling one of life's most enduring mysteries.
___In the meantime, studies show rapid if not alarming increases in the rates of the disease. According to one report, the United States had 500,000 sufferers of Alzheimer's in 1970. Today, that number stands at more than 5 million and researchers believe it will triple to 15 million by 2050.
___In one national survey, 19 million Americans said they have a family member with Alzheimer's disease and 37 million said they know someone with the disease.
___The disease's growth is as difficult to explain as the disease itself. However, experts agree the most plausible explanation is increased life expectancy--the longer people live, the greater the chances of developing dementia.
___In response, Buckner Retirement Services has opened three dementia or special-care units in the past five years known. Currently, Buckner operates five of these units, called The Harbor.
___The Baptist General Convention of Texas agency recognizes the special care needed for Alzheimer's residents in a continuum of care, said Mary Stephens, vice president for Buckner Retirement Services.
___Buckner "believes that dementia in any form--whether Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, myocardial infarction or some other disease--presents special challenges," Stephens said. "Residents with dementia have particular social, emotional and activities of daily living needs.
___Caring for Alzheimer's residents is just one aspect of Buckner's ministry, Stephens added. Buckner also reaches out to family members.
___"Losing an Alzheimer's resident is difficult," she said. "When I say losing them, families will continue to see the physical manifestation of the resident, but the emotional connection goes. That is extremely hard to deal with. Learning how to interact with and express love to a different person is a troubling thing."
___Stephens believes the ministry to family members makes Buckner unique in its care for Alzheimer's residents living in its Harbor units.
___"Families have a hard time because the disease is progressive," Stephens explained. She likens Alzheimer's to a person crossing a bridge. "On one side, they are perfectly normal; on the other, they are completely in the Alzheimer's world."
___But residents often "go up onto the bridge for periods of time, then return to normalcy, she added. "That is confusing to families and to the resident because they sense something is wrong. But at some point, the resident makes it all the way across. Then the resident is no longer distressed because he or she doesn't realize he has dementia. But families continue to wait for the resident to return to the other side of the bridge."
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