Unity Launches Guide that Enhances Quality of Life for Dementia Patients and their Caregivers
De Pere, Wisconsin — In honor of The Longest Day Of The Year which is celebrated on June 20th to raise awareness and outshine the darkness of Alzheimer's disease, Unity, in partnership with National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), announces the release of a new dementia care resources guide that will improve quality of life for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, reduce hospitalizations, and ease the burden for families and caregivers.
Dementia can be a tremendous burden not only for people living with the disease but also for their families and caregivers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6.7 million individuals in the U.S. have dementia, the majority of whom received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and by 2050, that figure is expected to more than double as the population ages. Across the nation, there are an estimated 11 million Americans who provide unpaid care for patients with dementia, many of whom carry the burden alone and face difficulties in navigating care.
The Unity “Dementia Care Patient & Caregiver Resources Guide” is designed to support the home care of people living with dementia and to assist caregivers, including families, with the skills and necessary information to care for, manage safety, and provide comfort for their loved one living with dementia within their home. Many people living with dementia frequently visit their doctor’s office, emergency room, and hospital due to worsening symptoms or increasing caregiving strain, but these conditions can be managed, and even prevented, with appropriate hospice and palliative care offered by Unity.
The new guide represents the best standards of care for mid-, advanced-, to end-stage dementia and was put together with the collective input of 100+ not-for-profit hospice, palliative care, and advanced illness care organizations.
“I am honored to have been part of the development of the Dementia Care Resources Guide. Navigating dementia care can be extremely stressful to patients, families, and caregivers. Our goal for this guide is to empower people living with dementia, and their loved ones, with the information they need and the right intervention, to radically improve the experience of caregiving and quality of life”, states Hailie Gagnon, Unity Psychosocial Educator.
The new guide offers a detailed explanation of dementia and provides tips for symptom management, nutrition, care for the caregiver, home safety, medication management, and more. If you are supporting a loved one who is living with dementia, please contact Unity at www.unityhospice.org or call 920-338-1111 to access the compassionate, expert care you deserve. Click here to download the free guide.
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Unity is Northeast Wisconsin’s pioneering not-for-profit healthcare provider that offers a full complement of care solutions including nonmedical home care, supportive palliative care, hospice care, and grief support. With a commitment to seamlessly adapt care to the everchanging needs of each patient and family, Unity works tirelessly to enhance quality of life through innovative services and unique programs ensuring the wishes and goals of patients and families are always met. As the only locally owned and operated advanced illness provider in the region, Unity partners with area skilled nursing facilities, assisted-living facilities, and pharmacies, ensuring seamless care in all settings. Unity is the sole organization offering inpatient hospice at seven area hospitals and is a collaboration between Bellin Health, HSHS St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center, and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. Established as the third hospice program in the nation, Unity launched Wisconsin’s first palliative care program in 2002, the area’s first hospice residence in 2007, the region’s only Grief and Education Center in 2021, and the area’s first pediatric hospice program in 2024. Learn more at www.unityhospice.org.
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person’s unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at hospiceinnovations.org, or to find a high-quality advanced illness care provider, call 844-GET-NPHI (438-6744).
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