Participants Sought for Dementia Care Study

John Deagen

According to the Western and Central State Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 100,000 people in Washington have Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia. They also estimate that for every person with the disease, another four people are touched by the disease as friends, family members or caregivers.

The challenges of supporting those with dementia are many. The shifting needs inherent in any degenerative disease can be both physically and emotionally draining, especially given the sometimes invisible nature of the mental decline; often, care needs are felt more than they are seen.

A new study on how to help people with dementia and those who care for them is now available in King County. The Dementia Partnership Project—a collaboration between Aging and Disability Services, the Alzheimer’s Association, Elderhealth Northwest, the Geriatric Regional Assessment Team, Kin On Health Care, and Senior Services—has begun a Memory Care and Wellness program to address the specific needs of dementia care.

The study will be looking at the effectiveness of supports offered by a new type of adult day program called “Memory Care and Wellness Services” at Elderhealth Northwest’s South Seattle (Columbia City) site. This new level of service is a unique hybrid of adult day health and adult day care and will be offered to enhance the lives of dementia clients. Enhanced services will include both activities and exercise to keep the mind as active, relaxed and healthy as possible.

Participants are needed for the study, as both clients in Memory Care and Wellness Services and as part of the control group not receiving this service. Both the caregiver and the client will be interviewed in their home 3 times over an 18 month period as part of the study. Memory Care and Wellness Service clients will receive two days a week at Elderhealth free of charge.

Caregivers of dementia clients who are interested in using the Memory Care and Wellness Services but live too far away from the Columbia City site can still contribute to the research by being part of the control group for the study. Members of the control group will receive a $25 Fred Meyer gift card at the end of their last interview to thank them for the contribution they have made in developing treatment options for people with dementia. For more information, please contact Senior Information and Assistance at 206-448-3110 or 1-888-435-3377. 

John Deagen is Supervisor of Senior Information and Assistance