Grass roots effort to tackle Alzheimer's in Sisters

Last updated 7/4/2023 at 12:31pm

More than 50 attended the first of what organizers say will be a continuing series of events in Sisters to grow awareness of and develop strategies to tackle the increasing devastation of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The kick-off event took place June 23 at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Community Hall with a presentation: “10 Warning Signs of Dementia” and was followed by four “Sis” talks that focused on the importance of social engagement, staying physical, balanced nutrition, and keeping your brain engaged.

“Sis” talks is the term organizers came up with as a spin-off of TED Talks, a highly successful, international format of presenting complex and lengthy subject matter in a condensed, engaging style.

The event, originated by Rotary Club of Sisters in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association, had local representatives from Partners In Care, Council on Aging, STARS, and Martin & Richards, PLLC attorneys specializing in estate planning and guardianships, and the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District, who had a nurse taking blood pressure for attendees.

Speakers included Ashlee Francis, owner of SweatPNW in Sisters; Joelle Blanchard, community outreach and education manager with Partners In Care; Ken Scholz, PhD, a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association; and Debbi McCune, community educator for the Alzheimer’s Association.

McCune, a Sisters realtor and advocate for Alzheimer’s care, knows about the disease intimately. Her husband was diagnosed 17 years ago and she’s been his primary caregiver for eight. Facilitating the event, she asked the audience how many were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and six hands went up.

When asked how many in the room cared for an Alzheimer’s family member or loved one, another 20 hands were raised. And asking how many present had a family member or loved one with the disease, all remaining hands shot up.

The appreciative attendees asked that the band of sponsors do more to support Alzheimer’s in Sisters, and they responded with a commitment for more community events and hopes for more professional caregiving in the community.

The Alzheimer’s Association has a one-person chapter in Bend, but that staffer has been called to Portland, leaving the branch for all of Deschutes County temporarily void.

“We’re going to have to do this largely by our own effort,” said Bill Kelly, Rotary Club president, referring to the grassroots effort getting underway among advocates in Sisters Country.

Sandy Reilly of Sisters is one such advocate. His older sister, Mary, is an Alzheimer’s victim and he has immersed himself in learning about the disease and trying, like McCune, to organize a concerted, long-term approach to combatting dementia and Alzheimer’s on a local basis.

Reilly and Tate Metcalf, owner of Sisters Athletic Club, are staging a 50-kilometer spinathon at the Club on July 22. Using the Club’s spin cycles, teams of four, or in Reilly’s case, a team of one, will spin for 50K as a fundraiser, with proceeds going to the start of a pool of money that can be distributed into Sisters in support of tackling the problem.

Club members are gearing up. To support a team or spinner, call or text 925-980-0709.

Gauging Alzheimer's in Sisters

National figures for those diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease are readily available. At the state level there is good reporting but at the local level it’s harder to find numbers showing the disease’s penetration.

The disease is prevalent in Oregon, with over 69,000 people living with Alzheimer’s, said Lori Stanton of the Alzheimer’s Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington. By 2050, Stanton says over 84,000 Oregonians are expected to have the disease.

Along with the rise in cases, the report shows how the disease is impacting caregivers — including unpaid caregivers such as friends or family members, who may experience depression or physical ailments as they care for someone with the disease.

In Oregon, there are over 181,000 caregivers, including family members and in-home paid caregivers, Stanton said. However, with the projected rise in cases, Stanton shared concerns amid nationwide workforce gaps to care for those with Alzheimer’s.

Nationally, about one in nine people age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s. Almost two-thirds of those are women. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

Deaths from Alzheimer’s have more than doubled between 2000 and 2019, while those from heart disease — the leading cause of death — have decreased.

Given Sisters Country’s elder population, the problem may be greater here than throughout the county. The median age in Bend is 39.5, meaning half of all its citizens are under 39.5 and half are older. In Redmond, it’s 36.2. For all of Oregon it’s 39.5. In Sisters its 49.5, a full 10 years older than our neighbors.

In Bend 16.1 percent of the population is over 65. In Redmond that number is 15.1 and in Sisters it’s 21.5, indicating by extrapolation that Sisters Country is likely to have at least 150 of its citizens afflicted. “It’s of growing concern in Sisters especially as we age and are starting with an older population,” said Bill Kelly, president of Rotary Club of Sisters.

Rotary is becoming more active in trying to equip the community in the fight against dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80 percent of dementia cases.

Alzheimer’s worsens over time. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. On average, a person with Alzheimer’s lives four to eight years after diagnosis but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.