Dementia Needs Assessment Report |
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Executive Summary Ten percent of adults over the age 65 and almost half of those over 85 will have Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. Dementia is a loss of intellectual functions (thinking, remembering and reasoning) so severe that it interferes with an individual's daily functioning and eventually results in death. The Alzheimer's Association, Northern Virginia Chapter territory has an estimated 35,000 diagnosed persons living with dementia. The growth of the elderly population is projected to increase sharply, due to the aging of the baby boom generation. The Northern Virginia Chapter is taking the lead to address the issues of the individuals and families dealing with dementia on a daily basis. Alzheimer's is recognized as a challenging disease for those who have it and their caregivers. Many healthcare organizations, social service agencies, adult day programs, residential facilities and family caregivers look to the Alzheimer's Association as the resource for information on dementia care, referrals, counseling, training, advocacy and understanding the needs of diagnosed individuals and their families. The results of this needs assessment will be the foundation on which the Northern Virginia Chapter will continue to build and provide services to meet escalating needs of persons with memory related illnesses and their families. The needs assessment goals were:
Challenges The recruitment of participants was a time consuming challenge that was not fully anticipated. This process utilized questionnaires, invitations, telephone calls and outreach activities to recruit participants. Apparent barriers to participation were lack of time, denial, lack of awareness and difficulty reaching appropriate persons. The assessment did reach 80% of persons with early memory loss and 59% of the caregivers that were initially projected.
Last updated: April 23, 1999
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