September is Alzheimer's Awareness Month

With an estimated 5.2 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s, many more millions of untrained caregivers – usually spouses, relatives, neighbors and friends – spend countless unpaid hours caring for them as best they can. In Livermore, professional caregivers at Rosewood Gardens, 35 Fenton Street, have started a new caregiver support group this month and are opening up about how their Memory Care program helps 25 residents manage the disease with physical exercise, social activity, proper nutrition, health maintenance, and a calm and well-structured environment.

Rosewood Gardens’ Memory Care program operates at near full capacity, according to Executive Director Nancy Harrison. A recent visit to the community reveals why. Experienced memory caregivers are deftly encouraging residents to engage in any number of spontaneous and planned activities. One small group is playing the word game Hangman. Another is tending to the flower boxes outside in the secured garden area. Harrison explains “It’s all about knowing each resident personally and employing tailored strategies designed to keep their muscles moving and the blood flowing to their body and mind.”

Visiting families are encouraged to head to the master folder filled with suggested activities to engage loved ones, from conversation cards and storytelling to dominoes. In the vegetable garden, Harrison proudly displays the resident-grown tomatoes ripening on their vines, next to pots of thyme, basil, rosemary and chives. She talks about the fun associates are having planning a September fishing trip with residents to Del Valle Lake.

September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and Rosewood Gardens welcomes those interested in learning more to attend its new Memory Care Support Group which meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 6pm to 7pm. Led by Nancy Harrison, the group is a safe, comfortable place to ask questions, share experiences and learn facts and tips for coping with and managing various forms of cognitive decline. For more information, call 925-735-3772.

About Rosewood Gardens

Located at 35 Fenton Street in Livermore California, Rosewood Gardens is an 82-residence assisted living and memory care community known for their residential atmosphere and memory care neighborhood. Owned and managed by Watermark Retirement Communities, Rosewood Gardens is committed to creating an extraordinary community where people thrive. For more information, visit www.watermarkcommunities.com.