Hundreds of people in Cayman live with dementia, says Dorothy Davis, chairperson of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association of the Cayman Islands, ADACI.
It’s a reality she has faced as a caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed in 2010 with what was then called ‘senility’.
“My mother’s diagnosis led me to doing my own research, and I reached out to my GP because I was curious to find out as much as I could about the disease,” she told the Cayman Compass.
That interest is what led to the formation of ADACI in 2011 to provide support to patients, families, healthcare workers and caregivers.
Dementia, a term for several diseases that affect memory, thinking and the ability to perform daily activities, impacts not just the individual who suffers from it, but the caregivers and loved ones who experience the profound changes that occur as the illness progresses.
In recognition of the sacrifices made by caregivers, ADACI hosted an appreciation dinner for them at Pappagallo Restaurant on 19 Oct. More than 100 caregivers attended, most of them women, largely from Jamaica, dressed up in beautiful and elegant evening dresses. It was an evening filled with joy, laughter and good food.
“The caregivers in Cayman truly are unsung heroes,” Davis said. “Their kindness, patience and strength offer so much to those going through such a difficult dementia journey, and it’s a critical area that deserves more attention and discussion.”
Several years ago, government recognised that persons suffering from dementia or other serious illnesses may develop a special bond or connection with the person caring for them and as a result, an exemption was carved out in the rollover policy to allow carers to stay longer, in certain circumstances.
“There is a special category of work permit for caregivers caring for the very vulnerable, e.g. mentally challenged, handicapped, or persons that are terminally ill or at the end stage of their illness,” explained Davis, who added that, from time-to-time she has assisted family members with filling out forms for immigration purposes or CINICO.
Quite often, private insurance companies will cover the costs of tests and consultations leading to a dementia diagnosis, but that coverage does not extend to caregiving.
ADACI’s work and tools for caregivers
ADACI provides numerous services to the people affected by dementia in the Cayman Islands. These include private family care presentations, support group meetings, home-safe assessments, community awareness meetings, funded respite care to provide caregiver relief, memory cafes and social gatherings, and one-on-one consultations for people recently diagnosed with dementia.
“Social isolation is not a good thing for anyone, especially persons living with dementia,” Davis explained. “Our volunteers help with events such as tea parties, arts and crafts activities, trips to the beach, music therapy and other activities that provide positive engagement and bring people together.”
ADACI also provides a ‘Tools for Caregivers’ training that teaches caregivers various skills, such as effective communication with the patient, bathing, eating, medication, coping skills for challenging behaviours and information about self-care for the caregivers themselves.
“We recently returned from Cayman Brac,” Davis said, adding that the Department of Children and Family Services helped organise the two-day caregiver training in the Brac with ADACI.
ADACI volunteers, who number over 80 in Grand Cayman and 25 in Cayman Brac, do what they can to support persons in the community with dementia and their family members.
“We are also working to ensure that all our frontline personnel in the Cayman Islands are aware of aspects of dementia, so there can be understanding and sympathy to persons with the disease when they encounter people with the illness.
“Between 10-15 Nov., Dr. Bonnie Burman, the head of the Dementia Friends organisation and current president of the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health, will be in the Cayman Islands, delivering training for healthcare workers, police officers, fire officers and many others,” Davis said.
“We are fortunate to have such a renowned expert in the field coming down to support the work of ADACI.”
Davis added, “We also have agreement from the Pines and the Golden Age Home for their staff to attend, and we are literally expecting hundreds of people in the Cayman Islands to attend this training opportunity with Dr. Burman and gain a better understanding and improve their awareness of dementia.”
She hopes that the training will even help make the Cayman Islands a more dementia-friendly destination for travellers.
Davis also dreams of ADACI having its own home one day to offer services.
“Right now we have to book venues like the Intergenerational Hub or a civic centre, but my dream is that one day ADACI will have its own place, like a daycare facility where people can stop by during the day, because we also recognise this would benefit so many people, including family members, caregivers and, of course, the persons living with dementia,” she said.
Globally over 55 million people are currently living with dementia and by 2050, that number is expected to rise to 139 million. In England and Wales, dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death.
Researchers say there are things you can do to reduce your risk along with avoiding head injuries and protecting hearing. These include stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet and exercising, controlling diabetes and managing heart disease risks, such as high cholesterol and hypertension.
Persons interested in information on training or any other services offered by ADACI, or who would like to volunteer, can reach ADACI at [email protected] or by phone on 924-4170.
Related Videos
