Connecting Waters with Jessica Martinez

Hello all,

Welcome back to Connecting Waters, or welcome if you are new to this column. My name is Jessica Martinez, I am the Community Liaison for Senior Services. I use this column to answer some FAQs I receive from seniors around the community. Some range from really common questions about our services to wacky questions like: “My dog needs a haircut, can you guys do that for me?” (Yes, I’ve really been asked that question before). I am here to answer them all!

Q: My wife was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Do you guys offer anything to help her understand what is going to happen?

A: Absolutely. Aging can be an overwhelming experience, even without an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. So we here at Senior Services try to ease any worries as much as we can. We can first set up a meeting with your assigned social worker (if you have one) or our intake coordinator, if you don’t. With you, they will go over some of what to expect and offer support or resources.

We also recommend that you contact Nicole Lomay, Senior Outreach Manager at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute. She can provide one-on-one counseling and support for those dealing with Alzheimer’s as well as their caregivers. She will walk you through what to expect in each stage, give recommendations on legal things to take care of, and provide information on the types of medication and treatments that may be recommended, and much more. For more information on Banner’s Alzheimer’s services, visit bannerhealth.com/services/alzheimers .