Alzheimer’s Disease and Available Resources in the Canton, Ohio Area
Author: Brian Heckman
As the owners of Home Helpers, an in-home care agency serving the Canton, OH, area, Damey and I have met many families who have loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or another form of dementia. These conditions gradually worsen over time and often require resources and assistance.
Because November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, we want to share more information about AD and available resources in the Canton, OH area to help individuals and families coping with this problematic condition.
Cognitive decline is associated with the early onset of dementia, and it impairs one’s ability to think clearly, process and learn new information, make decisions, and remember.
According to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), there are four primary types of dementia:
- Alzheimer’s Disease (most common in Ohio) – A progressive brain disorder that gradually diminishes memory and thinking skills due to changes occurring in the brain.
- Unspecified Dementia – Includes senile or presenile dementia.
- Vascular Dementia – Caused by conditions that damage the blood vessels in the brain, decreasing the amount of oxygen the brain receives.
- Degenerative Diseases of the Nervous System (not otherwise classified) – Includes Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, alcohol-related dementia, and senile degeneration of the brain.
The ODH reports these key facts and statistics about Alzheimer’s disease in Ohio:
- In Ohio in 2019, 11.6% of adults aged 45 and older reported having increased confusion or memory loss (cognitive decline) that is happening more often or is getting worse during the past 12 months
- The prevalence of cognitive decline was significantly higher for Ohio adults with other chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
- Alzheimer’s disease claimed the lives of 5,396 Ohioans in 2018, at an age-adjusted rate of 39.4 per 100,000 people.
- Women accounted for 70% of Alzheimer’s disease deaths in Ohio in 2018.
- Whites had a higher death rate for Alzheimer’s disease in 2018 compared with Blacks and Asians/Pacific Islanders in Ohio.
- Death rates for Alzheimer’s disease in Ohio increased from 2009 to 2018.
- In 2018, 5,646 Ohioans died from organic dementia, which includes both vascular dementia and unspecified dementia, at an age-adjusted rate of 36.3 per 100,000.
The Greater East Ohio Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association serves individuals and families living in 16 Northeast Ohio counties: Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, and Wayne.
They offer a broad range of free educational programs, care consultations, advocacy opportunities, and support groups, and their mission funds advancements in Alzheimer's and dementia research and treatments.
We encourage you to explore local support groups that are available both in person and online, as well as on-demand education programs you can watch whenever it’s convenient. These resources offer valuable information about the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, the importance of early diagnosis, effective communication strategies, living well with dementia, caregiving best practices, planning for future care, and much more.
For more information, please call the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
A professional, compassionate Home Helpers caregiver can assist by delivering specialized care services and respite care for family caregivers to support your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Damey and I are happy to schedule a FREE consultation at your convenience to assess specific needs and determine the many ways we can help make life easier for you, your family, and especially your loved one with Alzheimer’s in the Canton area.
Home Helpers® Canton, OH, is Veteran-owned and operated. We are honored to have received the Home Care Pulse – Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice Award, the Shooting Star Award (2011), and multiple Platinum awards for the superior level of care we provide. We are Certified Senior Advisors and members of the Home Care Association of America, Alzheimer’s Association, and International Franchise Association. Additionally, we were ranked in the Top 500 Franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2019.
Home Helpers® Canton is Making Life Easier™ every day for male and female seniors in Stark County, Portage County, and portions of Summit County, including the communities of Akron, Alliance, Canton, East Sparta, Hartville, Jackson, Massillon, Navarre, North Canton, Randolph, and surrounding areas. 330.892.9329
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