Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Home Care Services, who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.
With nearly half of people age 85 and older living with Alzheimer’s disease, now is the time for Santa Clarita residents to starting thinking about next steps– both as individuals and as a community, according to Rick Ferrante of Home Care Services.
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“The statistics are sobering,” Ferrante said. “People are living a lot older, people are living to 85, which is not unusual, and well past 85… It’s the kind of thing that nobody really knows what to do with when it affects them.”
As a community, Ferrante is encouraging Santa Clarita residents to come together Sept. 20 at Bridgeport Park for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which Home Care Services is currently organizing teams for.
Related: Home Care Services Helps Families Navigate Common Senior Challenges
As individuals with parents, grandparents and other senior family members, Ferrante said the first step is to simply start thinking about the possibility that a loved one could begin showing signs of Alzheimer’s in the near future.
“It might not be today and it might not be tomorrow, but very soon,” he said, “the odds are very high that they’re going to be affected with some form of dementia, and particularly Alzheimer’s.”
If someone notices their senior loved one is having memory problems, start asking questions, look for signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s and gather information, Ferrante added.
“Think about calling and contacting and getting some resources even before the thing becomes a really big problem,” he said. “There’s no cure to this, but how do we get some assistance, support and help for the family? Our organization is just one piece of that puzzle… that’s a part, professional caregiving, but there’s a lot more to it.”
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One place the affected person and their family can turn to is the Alzheimer’s Association, which Ferrante called a vital resource. In addition to professional caregiving services, Home Care Services can also offer a variety of resources and support, including a caregiver resource center for those taking care of their senior loved ones themselves.
“It’s scary stuff, no doubt about it,” Ferrante said. “Get the information, call us, call somebody, get some resources. You absolutely will be in a better place by doing that.”
Home Care Services Santa Clarita
23340 Cinema Drive, Suite 5
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
661-412-0710