Teri Sellers
PebbleCreek Alzheimer’s Support Group is open to all residents who have a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia. We meet twice a month, a breakfast social and a support group meeting. Our goal is to provide support and information to families that are caring for a loved one with dementia.
Currently more than 55 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s or another related dementia, 6 million in the U.S. The disease also affects more than 11 million Americans who provide unpaid care. Caregiving is not easy, and that is why we have a support group.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are often used as though they mean the same things. They are related, but there are important differences.
Dementia is a broad ‘umbrella’ term for an individual’s change in memory, thinking, or reasoning. There are many causes, including Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. It is not normal aging, it is a progressive brain disease, meaning it gets worse over time. Plaques and tangles develop in the brain, which damage and kill nerve cells.
Vascular dementia is a decline in thinking skills that happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or reduced so that brain cells can’t get important oxygen and nutrients. Sometimes these changes occur suddenly such as during a stroke. Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia.
Lewy body dementia is a type of progressive dementia related to buildup of a protein that damages brain cells. Early symptoms include hallucinations and sleep problems.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of disorders. Progressive cell degeneration causes FTD in two places. One is in the brain’s frontal lobes (the area behind the forehead. The other is in the brain’s temporal lobes (the regions behind the ears).
No matter which type of dementia your loved one has, the disease process is going to profoundly affect your life and theirs. I encourage you to reach out to our support group or to the Alzheimer’s Association for information and support. Our local chapter is located in Phoenix. The website is alz.org/dsw.
Saturday breakfast meetings are the first Saturday of the month. An RSVP is mandatory.
Support group meetings are held on the third Saturday and do not require an RSVP.
If you are not a member of our group, it is easy to join. Just reach out to me, Teri Sellers, at 602-793-0299 or [email protected].
You are not alone. I want to share helpful resources and information with you and add you to our email list. Our support group is an excellent way to learn more about the journey that is dementia and a wonderful way to meet others who are going through the same journey as you. Your information is always safe and confidential. The benefits are priceless.