A UVM center to support dementia caregivers

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – After two years in the making, The University of Vermont Medical Center now has a program to keep caregivers in Vermont connected. It’s called the Dementia Family Caregiver Center. It’s purpose: to help dementia and Alzheimer’s caregivers find the support and resources they need to care and advocate for their loved ones and themselves.

In Vermont, the majority of diagnosed dementia patients receive care at home by a loved one — officials say. They add, it’s easy to become frustrated, depressed, or forget about your own personal life. The program will offer resources like peer to peer mentorship, counseling, and group therapy.

“Many family caregivers don’t necessarily know how or where to provide support and care for the person they are caring for. What we will be is kind of a pathway for caregivers to call and ask for information about services that already exist.” said Lori McKenna, the Dementia Family Caregiver Center program manager.

The center is also piloting a program to address the shortage of workers whose focus is providing support and resources for at-home caregivers of individuals with dementia.

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