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Area Agency on Aging makes Alzheimer's books available at library
By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer
The Marlin Democrat
October 06, 2004
The Marlin Public Library recently received a set of books educating people of all ages about Alzheimer's and its effects on the person and their families. The book donation was made possible through money provided by the Area Agency on Aging.
The books and videos that range in reading level from child to adult were presented to Karen Koslosky, head librarian, and Polly Brown, library association treasurer, on Friday, Oct. 1 by Howard Gruetzner, Director if the Heart of Texas Region of the Alzheimer's Association, and Sara Hatch who conceived of the idea to donate books to libraries when she worked as an intern for Gruetzner.
"We hope to make a connection with the people in this area," Gruetzner said. "We want to offer counseling, set up support groups and educate. These books are a way to connect people with information right here, and at all ages. These books are for children, youth and adults. It's a fascinating disease but very complicated."
According to the Alzheimer's Association's website, Alzheimer's is a complex disease that that causes the gradual loss of brain cells. Approximately 4.5 million Americans have this disease today, which is double what it was in 1980. The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease continues to grow, and by 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.
Gruetzner said that Texas is one of three states (California and Florida being the other two) with the largest increase in the number of people affected by the disease. He said the increase by 2025 in the state could be from 250,000 to 500,000 people.
"Things are not looking good," Gruetzner said. "We have a lot of research to do."
Former President Ronald Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and his death on June 5, 2004, brought new attention to the disease.
In honor of the former President, Senators Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-MO) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) introduced S. 2533, and Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) have introduced H.R. 4595, "The Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2004".
If passed, the Act would double the funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Alzheimer's research by increasing authorization levels to $1.4 billion beginning in fiscal year 2005.
It would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to host a National Summit on Alzheimer's Disease to examine the current Alzheimer's research agenda at NIH, study priorities for current and future federally supported Alzheimer's initiatives, check on information and education programs for health care professionals and the public, and study challenges and opportunities for the research community and the public
It would also codify into law the Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Initiative, Cooperative Clinical Research, and Care giving Research programs at the National Institute on Aging.
The bill would also direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a public education campaign based on current NIH research on Alzheimer's prevention techniques to help individuals maintain cognitive function and brain health as they age.
"Early diagnosis is important," Gruetzner said. "Hispanics and African Americans have higher rates of the disease. Those that are less educated and who eat a high fat and cholesterol diet are at a greater risk. As are those with Type 2 diabetes."
The Alzheimer's Association's website said that there are 10 early signs to the disease. They are memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation to time and place, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing things, changes in mood or behavior, changes in personality and loss of initiative.
Gruetzner said that a problem as the number of people with this disease increases is that many who develop it will be living alone with no one to help notice the changes and get them the help they need.
"It is a challenge," Gruetzner said. "We need people getting involved at the grassroots level."
The donation of the books to the Marlin Public Library, as well as 14 other libraries in the region, is a step in that direction.
"We want caregivers to get the resources they need into the towns," Gruetzner said.
Depression is commonly found among caregivers, Gruetzner said. Therefore support groups are also needed, and he encouraged anyone with questions and concerns to call the Alzheimer's hotline at 1-800-272-3900. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He said calls from the Marlin area would go to his office in Waco. Should there not be anyone there, the calls will then be redirected to Chicago. Either way, someone will be available at all times.
The new books will be available in a special location at the Marlin Public Library before they are integrated into the rest of the collection. Koslosky encourages everyone to come in and take a look at the books and videos.
For more information on Alzheimer's, visit the Alzheimer's Association's website at http://www.alz.org. For more information on the Area Agency on Aging of the Heart of Texas, visit them at http://www.aaahot.org.
By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer
The Marlin Democrat
October 06, 2004
The Marlin Public Library recently received a set of books educating people of all ages about Alzheimer's and its effects on the person and their families. The book donation was made possible through money provided by the Area Agency on Aging.
The books and videos that range in reading level from child to adult were presented to Karen Koslosky, head librarian, and Polly Brown, library association treasurer, on Friday, Oct. 1 by Howard Gruetzner, Director if the Heart of Texas Region of the Alzheimer's Association, and Sara Hatch who conceived of the idea to donate books to libraries when she worked as an intern for Gruetzner.
"We hope to make a connection with the people in this area," Gruetzner said. "We want to offer counseling, set up support groups and educate. These books are a way to connect people with information right here, and at all ages. These books are for children, youth and adults. It's a fascinating disease but very complicated."
According to the Alzheimer's Association's website, Alzheimer's is a complex disease that that causes the gradual loss of brain cells. Approximately 4.5 million Americans have this disease today, which is double what it was in 1980. The number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease continues to grow, and by 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer's could range from 11.3 million to 16 million.
Gruetzner said that Texas is one of three states (California and Florida being the other two) with the largest increase in the number of people affected by the disease. He said the increase by 2025 in the state could be from 250,000 to 500,000 people.
"Things are not looking good," Gruetzner said. "We have a lot of research to do."
Former President Ronald Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's disease, and his death on June 5, 2004, brought new attention to the disease.
In honor of the former President, Senators Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-MO) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) introduced S. 2533, and Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) have introduced H.R. 4595, "The Ronald Reagan Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2004".
If passed, the Act would double the funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Alzheimer's research by increasing authorization levels to $1.4 billion beginning in fiscal year 2005.
It would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to host a National Summit on Alzheimer's Disease to examine the current Alzheimer's research agenda at NIH, study priorities for current and future federally supported Alzheimer's initiatives, check on information and education programs for health care professionals and the public, and study challenges and opportunities for the research community and the public
It would also codify into law the Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Initiative, Cooperative Clinical Research, and Care giving Research programs at the National Institute on Aging.
The bill would also direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a public education campaign based on current NIH research on Alzheimer's prevention techniques to help individuals maintain cognitive function and brain health as they age.
"Early diagnosis is important," Gruetzner said. "Hispanics and African Americans have higher rates of the disease. Those that are less educated and who eat a high fat and cholesterol diet are at a greater risk. As are those with Type 2 diabetes."
The Alzheimer's Association's website said that there are 10 early signs to the disease. They are memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation to time and place, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing things, changes in mood or behavior, changes in personality and loss of initiative.
Gruetzner said that a problem as the number of people with this disease increases is that many who develop it will be living alone with no one to help notice the changes and get them the help they need.
"It is a challenge," Gruetzner said. "We need people getting involved at the grassroots level."
The donation of the books to the Marlin Public Library, as well as 14 other libraries in the region, is a step in that direction.
"We want caregivers to get the resources they need into the towns," Gruetzner said.
Depression is commonly found among caregivers, Gruetzner said. Therefore support groups are also needed, and he encouraged anyone with questions and concerns to call the Alzheimer's hotline at 1-800-272-3900. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He said calls from the Marlin area would go to his office in Waco. Should there not be anyone there, the calls will then be redirected to Chicago. Either way, someone will be available at all times.
The new books will be available in a special location at the Marlin Public Library before they are integrated into the rest of the collection. Koslosky encourages everyone to come in and take a look at the books and videos.
For more information on Alzheimer's, visit the Alzheimer's Association's website at http://www.alz.org. For more information on the Area Agency on Aging of the Heart of Texas, visit them at http://www.aaahot.org.
