رونوشت 🔗
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.919
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
2
00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.200
Allison de Murz. My guest today is Laura Hoffman. She
3
00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:10.720
is executive director of the Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter.
4
00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:13.119
Good morning, good morning, How are you doing today?
5
00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.280
I'm great, Thank you, thank you for being here. Of course,
6
00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:20.239
tell me how did the Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter come about?
7
00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:24.440
While the organization was formed over forty years ago, and
8
00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:28.120
there were multiple chapters here in Connecticut doing the great
9
00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:32.159
work that we continue to do, and roughly eight years
10
00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.439
ago we all decided to go under the Alzheimer's Association
11
00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:40.840
umbrella and become one chapter here in Connecticut serving everyone,
12
00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:44.600
which is what happened across the entire United States.
13
00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:48.799
Now you have your own personal story with Alzheimer's, correct,
14
00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:50.320
of course, and.
15
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:54.200
So many of us that work here do. My grandfather
16
00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:57.759
is currently living with Alzheimer's and he lives in a
17
00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:01.560
very rural community in another state, so I certainly understand
18
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:04.760
and appreciate the caregiving that my mom and aunts do
19
00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:08.359
for him and utilize our services. And then my mother
20
00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:11.319
in law was living with Alzheimer's when she has to
21
00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:13.719
weigh so it is certainly a mission that is near
22
00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:16.120
and dear to me and to my family.
23
00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:19.799
What are some of the statistics nationwide and in Connecticut
24
00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:21.000
concerning this disease?
25
00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.280
Sure, so there's over seven million Americans that are living
26
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:31.040
with Alzheimer's and roughly eighty thousand that are living here
27
00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:33.920
in Connecticut, and you know, we know that number is
28
00:01:33.959 --> 00:01:39.120
going to continue to grow with the aging population. So
29
00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:42.640
you know, the lifetime risk for Alzheimer's at age forty
30
00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:46.000
five is one in five for women and one in
31
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:49.400
ten for men. So there's you know, there's certainly a
32
00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:53.319
lot that individuals, you know, should be looking for. They
33
00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.200
have any memory concerns, talking to their doctor, and if
34
00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.560
it's in their family, they are more likely to develop
35
Load full transcript
00:01:58.599 --> 00:01:59.879
the disease at some point.
36
00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:03.000
Are there warning signs of Alzheimer's disease?
37
00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:06.439
Yeah, so certainly things that you want to be looking for.
38
00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:10.560
Of course, memory loss just forgetting recent events, you know,
39
00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:16.240
maybe difficulty recalling information or you're repeating questions. So certainly
40
00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:18.759
not just you know, why do they walk into the kitchen,
41
00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.319
because we're all doing a lot of things all at once.
42
00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:24.439
But if you walk into the kitchen continually and you're like,
43
00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.240
why am I coming in here are you're very confused
44
00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:32.840
with time and place, certainly problems with any spatial navigation,
45
00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:38.400
and difficulty with familiar tasks. If you start to withdraw
46
00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:41.400
from social activities or you have a reduced interest in
47
00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:44.840
hobbies and social gatherings, that could be a warning sign.
48
00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:49.080
And it certainly changes in mood and personality. So those
49
00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:50.879
are just some of the things that you want to
50
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:51.639
be looking for.
51
00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:54.080
And a genetic component as well or.
52
00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.280
No, there are research studies that are looking into genetics.
53
00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.280
We do know that it is in your family. You
54
00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:05.759
are potentially at risk to developing the disease at some point,
55
00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.439
but there are some families that you know, maybe a
56
00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:11.199
parent or a grandparent was living with Alzheimer's and they
57
00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:14.199
have not developed the disease. That's why research continues to
58
00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:16.800
be important. And you know, you know, if it's in
59
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:20.000
your family, you know certainly getting involved in a trial.
60
00:03:20.520 --> 00:03:23.120
We need individuals that have healthy brains as well as
61
00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:26.680
individuals that are currently living with this to these So
62
00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:28.800
for people looking to do something, that's something that they
63
00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:31.000
can do right now and it's very easy.
64
00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:33.120
Are there ways to reduce your risk?
65
00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:37.039
Yes, So we now have the ten healthy habits for
66
00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:40.199
your brain, and we actually do presentations on this throughout
67
00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:43.759
the community. But we want you to get moving. So
68
00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:47.560
we know engaging in regular exercise is going to increase
69
00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:50.680
blood flow and brain excuse me, to your brain and
70
00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.680
to your body, of course, protecting your head. So if
71
00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:56.960
you're riding a bike, wearing a helmet, wearing your seatbelt,
72
00:03:57.039 --> 00:03:59.319
if you're in a car, those are some of the
73
00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:02.800
things that you can being smoke free, living by that
74
00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:08.039
Mediterranean diet that can also reduce your risk, controlling your
75
00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.879
blood pressure and then maintaining a healthy weight, and of
76
00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.639
course something I think many of us struggle with sleeping well,
77
00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:19.399
so really aiming to sleep for eight hours each evening.
78
00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.839
I know that people have a difficult time falling asleep
79
00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.519
staying asleep, and they'll say, oh, I got about five
80
00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:26.120
six hours.
81
00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:30.040
I'm like that's not enough, right, right, because when you're sleeping,
82
00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:33.240
that's when the toxins are leaving your brain. Obviously your
83
00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:36.920
body has time to rest, so you know, certainly before
84
00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.959
going to bed, staying off your screen, maybe reading a book,
85
00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:42.879
doing some meditation, doing something that's going to tell your
86
00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.800
body it's time to rest. And of course if you've
87
00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:48.680
exercised or done something else throughout the day. Your body
88
00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:49.519
should be tired.
89
00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.120
You mentioned some ways that the Association helps families. What
90
00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:54.040
are some other ways?
91
00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:57.839
Sure, So we have our twenty four to seven healthline,
92
00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:01.199
and if anyone that's listening today could walk away with something,
93
00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.839
it is. That helpline available twenty four hours a day,
94
00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:07.920
seven days a week, and it's spoken in over two
95
00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:13.439
hundred languages, so it's really beneficial to the entire community.
96
00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:17.600
And you can call that number if you suspect that
97
00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:20.120
you might have memory concerned and you need maybe a
98
00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:23.160
tip sheet, or you need a referral to someone in
99
00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:27.279
your community. Perhaps you're a caregiver and you need assistance
100
00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:30.199
because you can no longer brush your loved one's teeth.
101
00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:34.000
We can give you tips and resources for that. You
102
00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.000
just might need to talk to someone at three in
103
00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.399
the morning because your loved one is trying to go
104
00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.160
to work and they haven't worked in over twenty years.
105
00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:43.399
So we can also help you to navigate those types
106
00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.199
of situations, and in that one, certainly trying to get
107
00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.680
them back to bed so that the caregiver can go
108
00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.279
back to sleep. But we have a ton of resources
109
00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:58.160
available online and again, most things are available in multiple languages.
110
00:05:58.040 --> 00:05:59.240
And what is your web address?
111
00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:05.639
It's alderg very easy and of course the helpline is
112
00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:10.279
eight hundred two seven two thirty nine hundred.
113
00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.639
When we talk about caregivers, it's very difficult for them
114
00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:16.079
sometimes to allow someone to come in their home and
115
00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:18.480
help them, and they don't realize that it takes a
116
00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.759
toll on them physically and they can get either mentally
117
00:06:21.959 --> 00:06:25.319
feeling sick or physically feeling sick exactly.
118
00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.319
We know that caregivers are enduring a very long and
119
00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:33.959
an emotionally draining process that can lead you know, it's stressful, depression, anxiety,
120
00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:37.439
and just they start to neglect their personal health. So
121
00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:41.560
really building that strong support system is crucial, and of
122
00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.839
course we are here to provide vocal resources to help
123
00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.920
them in that area. We have support groups that individuals
124
00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:54.120
can participate in in person or even virtually. We also
125
00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:57.279
have dementia care consultations that can be offered to help
126
00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:00.480
navigate not just the journey for that individual that they're
127
00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:03.480
caregiving for, but making sure that they're getting the resources
128
00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:04.160
that they need to.
129
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:06.839
I know that in my own case with my grandmother,
130
00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.639
I had some family members they would get frustrated. If
131
00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:13.360
my grandmother repeated something or said something that actually wasn't true,
132
00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:15.759
they would be frustrated and say, no, that's not the
133
00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.040
way it is. She has to know, and I'm like,
134
00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:22.439
don't bother. So some people just don't understand the disease.
135
00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:26.120
They don't and in those instances, it's really just easier
136
00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:28.079
to live in their moment. You know, my mother in
137
00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.199
law would sometimes comment
on the weather and it might
138
00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:33.480
be snowing outside and she would be talking about, you know,
139
00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:36.560
a gorgeous summer day. She's also from Florida, so it's
140
00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:39.360
really just not bringing her back to the fact that
141
00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:42.439
it's you know, it's wintertime and snowing, But you know,
142
00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:44.720
what do you like about the sunshine? What did you
143
00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:48.160
enjoy about summer? Because maybe that's triggering a different memory
144
00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:48.519
for them.
145
00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:50.920
Yeah, just go with it, That's what I say. Don't
146
00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:53.920
argue with them, Just go with it. It's so much easier.
147
00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.800
Was it your family that wore either the T shirts
148
00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:59.639
or the name tags with the names on them?
149
00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:02.720
Not my family, but I certainly you know there there's
150
00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.079
I'm sure one hundred different tricks that you casuals have used.
151
00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.360
Just to make things a little bit easier for them,
152
00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.040
you know, whether it's wearing name tags labeling where dishes
153
00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:16.759
might go. We've heard stories that individuals couldn't find the
154
00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:19.160
restroom in their home any longer, but they knew what
155
00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:22.000
that sign looked like that you see so loten in
156
00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:25.240
public places. They put that on their personal home bathroom
157
00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:28.240
to help their loved ones. So certainly there's a lot
158
00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.120
of things that the helpline can also help with.
159
00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:34.039
Those and that's why it's so important to have this
160
00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:37.039
knowledge to make life easier for everyone. Again, you can
161
00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:40.039
go to alz dot org. There's the twenty four to
162
00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.159
seven helpline one eight hundred two seven to two three
163
00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:46.720
nine zero zero. You have a bunch of walks going
164
00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.480
on all over the state so we can raise money
165
00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:51.679
to defeat Alzheimer's and to help with all of these
166
00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:55.240
programs and services. Let's start with the first one, September
167
00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:57.200
twenty First, what's happening there.
168
00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:01.600
Yes, they're coming very quickly. Western Connecticut walk will take
169
00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:05.360
place at the new Fairfield High School Rebels Stadium, So
170
00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:08.679
it takes place on a track. It's a beautiful day,
171
00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:11.399
and really it's a beautiful day. No matter which one
172
00:09:11.480
--> 00:09:14.639
you're going to. You know, we call them our largest
173
00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:18.679
support group because for so many individuals that's the first
174
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:22.840
time that they will interact with maybe another caregiver or
175
00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:25.480
someone that's going through that journey. For many of them,
176
00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:28.679
it's their first time even learning about the Alzheimer's Association
177
00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:32.519
and so the resources and support that we offer as well.
178
00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:36.840
So it's just a really beautiful day that individuals come
179
00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:39.840
together and know that they're not alone.
180
00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:41.679
We don't have to talk about what happens at every
181
00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:44.480
single walk, but let's mention the other walks as well.
182
00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:48.159
Of course. So after our Western Connecticut walk, we jump
183
00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:50.679
over to the other side of the state on September
184
00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:54.799
twenty seventh for our Eastern Connecticut Walk. That's at Ocean
185
00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:58.799
Beach Park in New London. The very next day we
186
00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:03.320
go over to Whitehouse Point Park on September twenty eighth,
187
00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:06.080
that's the Greater New Haven Walk. For those in the
188
00:10:06.120 --> 00:10:10.120
Hartford area, that's a double walk weekend as well. October
189
00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:15.320
eighteenth is the Central Connecticut Walk at Rockwell Park in Bristol.
190
00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:20.559
On the next day, October nineteenth is the Greater Hartford Walk.
191
00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:23.919
It takes place at Renchler Field over in East Hartford
192
00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:27.600
and then we round out our season down in Fairfield
193
00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:32.559
County at Sherwood Island in Westport on October twenty sixth,
194
00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:35.559
So we try to be about an hour away from
195
00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:38.679
anyone that lives in Connecticut so that everyone has the
196
00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:41.279
opportunity to join us. You know, it is a beautiful day.
197
00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:45.279
Everyone is sharing their why. You know. My personal favorite
198
00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:48.840
is our Promise Garden ceremony. Everyone that comes to the
199
00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.279
walk has the opportunity to pick up a colored flower
200
00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:55.200
that represents why they are there. And there's four of them.
201
00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:59.080
There's yellow if you're a caregiver, orange if you're just
202
00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:03.080
supporting the cause, purple if you've lost someone, in blue
203
00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:06.159
if you're living with the disease. And so we hold
204
00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:08.759
all of those up during our program. And then there's
205
00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:13.279
one white flower that's our hope flower. It represents that
206
00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.240
one day we hope to have more of those white
207
00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:18.000
flowers in our garden and that data we find a
208
00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:22.639
cure or potentially cures to the disease. And it's really
209
00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:24.720
just a very moving day. I always have to excuse
210
00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:27.279
myself from whoever I might be standing around because it
211
00:11:27.320 --> 00:11:31.120
brings me to tears. But I always say, if anyone
212
00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:33.480
can do it, it's our volunteers and those individuals that
213
00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:35.039
are fundraising for us.
214
00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:39.080
Wonderful. I'm speaking with Laura Hoffman, executive director of the
215
00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:42.759
Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter. Thank you so much for being
216
00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:45.639
here today. For anyone who would like to volunteer, donate,
217
00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.919
find out more about the walks, the programs, or the services,
218
00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.240
it's just alz dot org. It's that simple. Thank you
219
00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.960
so much for being here today and for serving the community.
220
00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:57.919
Of course, thank you so much for having me