Re-evaluate standards on Alzheimer's care

Today, more than 5 million Americans face the challenges of Alzheimer's disease, more than 10 million caregivers serve them and a new diagnosis of the disease is being made every 70 seconds. By 2050, it's estimated that the number of those affected will triple, and a diagnosis will be made every 33 seconds.

Alzheimer's is not merely memory loss. And it is definitely not just an effect of getting older. Alzheimer's is a debilitating, emotionally tasking illness, and it deserves our immediate attention.

Today we honor World Alzheimer's Day, a day specifically designed to raise global awareness about Alzheimer's disease and its impact on our families, communities and nations, as well as the need for more education, support, research and enhanced caregiving models. World Alzheimer's Day serves as an impetus for educating ourselves and informing others about how we can help mitigate the impact of Alzheimer's disease before it is too late.

Currently, our health care system is ill-equipped to properly provide the type of consistent, quality, long-term care persons with Alzheimer's require. Too many long-term care givers are encouraged to do the bare minimum of only keeping residents clean, dry, quiet and free from injury. Too many of us simply assume this is the best care we can expect for our loved ones. As a result, those with the disease and their loved ones lose their quality of life.

To overcome this, a new standard must be set, one that does not aim for those with Alzheimer's and related dementias to merely survive, but one that raises the bar and mandates individualized, best abilities care that prioritizes the functional potential and bright human spirit that remain within.

This new standard can be met through a person-centered, abilities-focused caregiving approach that addresses the unique needs of the resident through a finely orchestrated, goal-oriented, interdisciplinary program. With such a program, care providers work together toward a common goal of helping those with Alzheimer's to achieve maximum functioning, physical safety and emotional well-being, thereby enhancing daily quality of life and reducing the caregiving burden.

Today we honor those affected by this disease, but this widespread illness deserves more than a day. Missouri has made progress, most recently with House Bill 272, which created a new Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force, but much work remains. We must urge our state and federal authorities to step up and improve the care for long-term residents. We must mandate training to properly equip caregivers and outline benchmarks of success in care, including helping residents attain the highest standards of physical, mental and psychosocial well-being.

Such training and substantial goals are critical to fostering, nurturing and facilitating positive characteristics in caregiving staff by creating an environment of support and will equip caregivers with the necessary skills to deliver care which enables those with dementia to thrive.

Our family members and friends living with this disease deserve nothing less.

Kim Warchol is the founder of Dementia Care Specialists with headquarters in McLean, Va.