Barger, Key Partners Support Caregivers of People Living with Dementia
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, L.A. Found and the L.A. County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) are hosting a home safety virtual presentation for caregivers of people with dementia on Wednesday, April 20 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. This free educational event will provide important safety information and information on the L.A. Found Project Lifesaver bracelets.
“Most people living with dementia want to remain comfortably in their homes and communities for as long as possible, so wandering and home safety are very real concerns for families,” said Supervisor Barger. “The partners providing this safety webinar and I are committed to ensuring families caring for someone living with a cognitive issue are equipped with the resources, education, and information they need and deserve.”
A critical resource is provided by L.A. Found, an organization that offers wearable tracking devices to people with a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. These bracelets help law enforcement locate a person who has wandered away from their home.
Alzheimer’s Los Angeles Board Member Kirk Moody, whose wife Nancy wandered away while they were at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, emphasized the importance of the program. “As a former caregiver who has lost a loved one to wandering, I cannot overemphasize the importance of the information in the webinar,” Moody said. “Alzheimer’s Los Angeles is the preeminent resource for caregivers and those with dementia in Los Angeles, and the amazing L.A. Found program is specifically designed to help prevent wandering and locating those individuals who do get lost or wander. The information presented in this webinar is lifesaving.”
Sixty percent of people with a dementia will wander at some point. There are an estimated 177,000 people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementia in Los Angeles County.
“By 2030, the number of L.A. County residents living with Alzheimer’s is expected to double,” said Dr. Laura Trejo, Executive Director for Aging and Community Services for L.A. County WDACS. “I’m grateful for the leadership of the Board of Supervisors, and our partnership with Alzheimer’s L.A., for supporting the creation and promoting L.A. Found. These free, life-saving tracking devices provide peace of mind to families and family caregivers. Together, we are working to ensure that families have the tools and resources to keep their loved ones safe.”
This event is free to the public, who can register for the event here. Attendees will have opportunities to ask questions of subject matter experts from both Alzheimer’s Los Angeles and L.A. Found staff.
