Mark Hensley, MA Alzheimer’s Support Specialist Project C.A.R.E. State Director NC Division of Aging and Adult Services The Challenges of Alzheimer’s and Caregiving

More than Alzheimer’s  Early-stage diagnosis in mid-40’s  Cognitive impairment  The ABC’s of Dementias: AD, Vascular, Mixed, LBD, FTD, PDD  Dementias/Major Neuro-cognitive Disorders:  An acquired adult onset, a change, progressive, chronic, functional impairment, not due to delirium

More than Memory Loss  Language  Visual perception  Executive function  Time disorientation  Apathy  Judgment  Behavior  Psychiatric symptoms

The Face of Alzheimer’s Disease & related dementias Today  Third-leading cause of death – The Washington Post March 5, 2014  5.2 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease – National Alzheimer’s Association  Currently, NC has over 170,000 older adults with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia.  By 2030, the total number is projected to rise to over 300,000  There is no known cure for this fatal disease.

National Alzheimer’s Plan Act (NAPA)  Obama signed into law in  Requires the development of a national plan to accelerate research toward treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's, and to improve care, services, and support to people with Alzheimer's, families and caregivers.   The National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease will be available on May 15th.

Think About it …  By the year 2025, NC will have more people 65+ with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia as the current population of the entire City of Fayetteville….. The current population of Fayetteville is 200,504 The number of people with dementia 65 and over in 2025 will be 210,000 The next highest populated city is Durham with 228,000

Caregivers & “the long goodbye”  Core of the long-term care network  Unpaid, unrecognized  More often female  Stress, depression, burden, guilt, anxiety, physical exhaustion, angry, grieving, and worry  Health and wellness suffers  Sandwich generation

The Cost of Alzheimer’s in NC * National Alzheimer’s Association

 2013 Year of Transition: State-wide  NC Senate Bill 897  $300,000 state appropriations  Collaboration with National Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP)  16 NC Area Agencies on Aging Through a family consultant model, Project C.A.R.E. helps create a seamless, coordinated delivery system that is responsive to the needs, values and preferences of Alzheimer’s families.

North Carolina Project C.A.R.E. (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty)  Three offices: Western Office - Asheville NC, Land-of-Sky Area Agency on Aging (35 counties) Central Office - Durham NC, Duke Family Support Program (32 counties) Eastern Office - Greenville NC, Alzheimers North Carolina (33 counties)  Mecklenburg DSS – Just One Call  NC DAAS –

Transylvania Anson Beaufort Bertie Brunswick Camden Carteret Columbus Craven Currituck Duplin Edgecombe Gaston Gates Greene Halifax Harnett Hertford Hoke Hyde Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Martin Moore Nash Northampton Onslow Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Richmond Robeson Sampson Scot Land Tyrrell Union Washington Wayne Wilson Alamance Alexander Alleghany Ashe Caldwell Caswell Catawba Chatham Davidson Davie Forsyth Franklin Guilford Granville Iredell Person Randolph Rockingham StokesSurry Vance Warren Watauga Wilkes Yadkin Wake Avery Cherokee Clay Graham Henderson Buncombe  McDowell Macon Mitchell Polk Rutherford Swain Madison Haywood Yancey New Hanover Chowan Cumberland Montgomery Stanly Mecklenburg Cabarrus Rowan Cleveland Burke Orange Durham  Jackson Bladen North Carolina Project C.A.R.E. (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty) Dare Project C.A.R.E Program Office Locations  Information and Referral (I&R) Only Care Management Only Both I&R and Care Management Provided Pitt  March 2014 ●

Family Consultant Model  Personal relationship  Individualized care and assistance  Coaching, Education, Problem-Solving  In-home assessment  Family-centered, holistic approach  Link to community resources & supports  Ongoing Support  First responder

Call to action….Next Steps  NC Alzheimer’s & Dementia Coalition, Spring/Summer 2014  Medicaid MFP Demonstration  The Healthy Brain Initiative DPH  DHHS Employee Education/Awareness  AARP Caregiver Campaign, 2014  Increase funds for Project C.A.R.E.

Contact Information Mark Hensley, MA Project C.A.R.E Director NC Division of Aging and Adult Services