The Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter has joined with the Ohio Department of Aging and the Benjamin Rose Institute to implement a free program that will help both individuals with memory problems as well as their family members who are caring for them.

The program, Reducing Disability in Alzheimer’s Disease (RDAD), is designed to help teach older adults who may suffer from memory problems how to do some simple exercises to improve their overall health. It also teaches family members about symptoms to watch for and how to care for persons with memory problems.

The goal is to improve the ability of the person with memory problems to carry out activities of daily living while also helping family members provide assistance to their relative.

A specially trained professional will come to the home for 15 sessions, each session lasting about one hour, to teach exercises to help the memory loss patient improve strength and balance. Family members will also be trained to assist their relative with these exercises.

Caregivers will also be asked to keep a record of their relatives’ exercise progress and to complete three brief surveys about the sessions that will be mailed back to the Benjamin Rose Institute.

All information will be kept completely confidential. Participation in this program is voluntary, and deciding to stop participation will not affect services provided by the participating organizations.

For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter at 419-537-1999 or 1-800-272-3900 or visit www.alz.org/nwohio.

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