Page 10 - Flathead Beacon // 9.28.16

NEWS
Demand Grows for Alzheimer’s Care More than 19,000 Montanans aged 65 and older have the disease
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
As the number of seniors with Alzhei- mer’s disease increases nationally and in Montana, demand for assisted-living facilities that can deal with the chal- lenges of dementia is increasing.
According to the Alzheimer’s Associa- tion, more than 5 million Americans are living with the disease and as many as 16 million will have it by 2050. In Montana, there are 19,000 people aged 65 and above who have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to increase by 42 percent, to 27,000 people, within the next decade.
Last week, to mark World Alzhei- mer’s Day on Sept. 21, residents at Pres- tige Assisted Living’s Expressions Mem- ory Care unit made kites to raise aware- ness about the disease. The kites featured names of residents who recently died at the Kalispell facility.
“These residents need to be encour- aged to do creative things,” said Arlene Berry, a personal care assistant at Pres- tige. “If they are not engaged, their mind goes to places where they are not happy.”
The most common symptom of Alzhei- mer’s is memory loss, but symptoms can also include depression, mood swings, language problems, and disorientation.
Madona Barber ies a kite and balloons with other residents at Prestige Assisted Living to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
About 20 people work in the memory care unit, but family members are also critical to caring with someone with Alz- heimer’s. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2015, more than 15 mil- lion unpaid caregivers provided an esti- mated 18.1 billion hours of care to people with dementia.
Biddlecome said Prestige has a wait- ing list for people looking to get into the memory care unit, underlining the growing need here in the Flathead Val- ley. Prestige opened the Expressions unit three years ago.
Immanuel Lutheran Communities in Kalispell is currently constructing a new memory care unit that is slated to open in 2017. CEO Jason Cronk said the facility would be able to handle 24 residents at a time. Cronk said a recent market anal- ysis showed that more and more people in Northwest Montana will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the future. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, someone develops the disease every 66 seconds in the United States.
“The need will continue to grow in the future,” Cronk said.
For more information, visit www.alz.
Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United Sates, according to the Alzheimer’s association.
Nicole Biddlecome, Prestige’s commu- nity relations’ director, said the kite proj- ect on Sept. 21 is an ideal activity for the residents because it keeps them engaged with other people.
There are 20 residents in Prestige’s memory care unit in Kalispell. The unit is separated from the rest of the facil- ity and is locked so residents are secure and do not wander away into unfamiliar situations.
“This is a very safe environment for people with dementia,” Biddlecome said.
org.
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
Cycling Advocate Struck By Car Near West Glacier Woman critically injured in collision that occurred during cross-country fundraising ride
BY BEACON STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Cleveland cycling advocate who was riding her bicycle to Seattle was critically injured on Sept. 18 when she was struck by a car on U.S. Highway 2 near West Glacier.
Bike Cleveland executive director Jacob VanSickle says group co-founder
Shelli Snyder su ered a fractured skull along with arm and leg injuries. As of Sept. 26, Snyder was still listed in critical condition and was in a medically induced coma.
Montana Highway Patrol Trooper John Underwood said the woman was struck from behind by a vehicle traveling approximately 65 miles per hour Sunday
afternoon between Coram and West Glacier. The collision occurred near the intersection of U.S. Highway 2 and Belton Stage Road and the initial investigation suggests Snyder was in the left passing lane, possibly getting ready to turn o the highway.
Underwood said the driver of the car was a Montana man heading to
West Glacier. The crash is still under investigation.
Snyder was wearing a helmet and had appropriate re ective gear, according to Underwood.
VanSickle says Snyder was moving to Seattle and was using her trip as a fund- raiser for Bike Cleveland.
news@ atheadbeacon.com
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