Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Tooele County offers dementia workshops open to everyone, not just county residents.
- Workshops aim to educate others about dementia and to support caregivers, regardless of location.
TOOELE — The more people there are who are diagnosed with dementia, the more people there will be who want to have a better understanding of the condition, health experts say.
Tooele County Health Department Aging Services Division is not immune from seeing an increase in those looking for a better understanding. As such, it has created a series of workshops intended to support those caring for loved ones with dementia as well as those interested in gaining a better understanding of the condition.
And you do not need to be a Tooele County resident to participate.
"We really want to share what we have, especially if we can help other people," said Amy Hoftiezer, the director of aging services for Tooele County. "We are seeing more people ... so we want to help how we can."
Often used interchangeably with Alzheimer's disease, dementia is slightly different, referring to a group of impairments that affect at least two brain functions. Memory loss, hampered thinking abilities, an increased state of confusion and more are examples of the impairments found with dementia.
Alzheimer's accounts for a majority of diagnoses that fall under dementia, according to the Mayo Clinic, the Alzheimer's Association and the World Health Organization, each of which estimates that between 60-70% of those with dementia are diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
This confusion is only one example of why programs are available for those who want more education on dementia, the county health department says.
Aging specialists across the country — from the Alzheimer's Association to the Mayo Clinic, the National Institute on Aging to the Tooele County Health Department — also remind Americans that as the baby boomers continue to age, some of them will also be diagnosed with dementia, increasing the numbers of those who struggle with, are afraid of and who need more information about the ailment.
The staff at the Tooele County Health Department's Aging Services Division also note that they are averaging 35 people in their classes and workshops, but most of those in attendance are in their 50s and older. Younger people may be busy with work or school, or they are not ready to think about dementia.
"The closer you get to something affecting you, the more you want to learn about it," said Sarah Obray, the aging services gerontologist. "I think that's what is happening ... as people get older, they want to know about everything. And they want to know the signs and symptoms."
The department offers classes focused on educating participants about the latest research and providing a general understanding of dementia. They also host a support group specifically for caregivers, a friend or family member.
For more information on programs, support groups and more sponsored by the Tooele County Health Department's Aging Services Division: Call 435-277-2300 or visit tooelehealth.org/aging-services/
"Dementia Live" is one such program that gives participants the opportunity to come as close as they can to experiencing dementia. Goggles impair the vision, earphones limit hearing and various activities allow participants to consider what it may be like for those with the ailment.
The programs also give participants a chance to engage with other people who may be in the same boat — wanting to learn about dementia and/or taking care of someone who suffers from it. They can discover that they are not alone and maybe build friendships with others in the workshops, staffers note.
The way the staff sees it, if you are lucky, you will be aging, so we can all benefit from learning this information.
"Aging impacts us all," Obray said. "We all need to learn what we can and share what we know."
