Debra Savoie saw from personal experience the difficulties people have in dealing with a family member suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Savoie and Tasha Dugas co-founded Alzheimer’s Services of Acadiana Inc. to help educate families and give them resources to support groups and caregivers.

Alzheimer’s Services of Acadiana is a non-profit organization in the Teche area that provides information and resources for families affected by Alzheimer’s and other memory related forms of dementia.

“We are resources for them and let them know what resources they have in the community,” Savoie said. “Our goal is to have a support group in all parishes in all of Acadiana. We have one in New Iberia, (with meetings) the first Tuesday at 6 (p.m.) at Iberia Medical Center.”

Dugas said Alzheimer’s Services of Acadiana informs families of resources that already are in the community.

“From home health, to hospice, to home care company, everything they need for their journey,” Dugas said. “Our vision is having money for caregivers in the home.”

“You’re going to need caregivers in the home and then you are going to need home health,” Savoie said. “That’s the journey they are going to have.”

Dugas said the organization helps families with different types of dementia.

“Alzehimer’s is a type of demienta,” Dugas said. “I think what happens with families is that the term ‘Alzehimer’s’ is just a broad term and everyone is not diagnosed with Alzehimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away and die, according to the Mayo Clinic at mayoclinic.org. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that disrupts a person’s ability to function independently.

Alzheimer’s causes 60 to 80 percent of all dementia cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org). Alzheimer’s is not a nor part of aging, but a progressive brain disease.

Some of the main symptoms, according to Dugas, involve short term memory loss, repeating oneself, and personality changes.

Through conversations started in June of 2019, Savoie and Dugas said they noticed that though research for Alzheimer’s is important, they believed that families need support now.

“The services we do are free and the money we are going to obtain is through fundraisers,” Savoie said. “All the money is going to stay in the Acadiana Area but the money we are going to send is going to be for research and it is going to Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.”

Savoie said she has been affected by Alzheimer’s in her family and knows the difficulties that come with it.

“I’ve walked the walk,” Savoie said. “I have walked the walk.”

Though families may find it hard to take the first steps to dealing with dementia, Savoie said that is normal.

“This is what happens with a lot of people,” Savoie said. “They don’t want to know.

Savoie said many family members have a hard time admiting someone they know has Alzhemier’s.

“They are in denial if their mom or dad has it,” Savoie said They are afraid to know. And when it’s finally time to address it, they don’t know where to go. And that’s where we come into play.”

Anyone who would like information on Alzheimer’s Services of Acadiana may contact Dugas or Savoie at 296-4613 or 230-7630 or at tashadugas@alzacadiana.com or debrasavoie@alzacadiana.com. Read more about Alzheimer’s at their website, https://alzacadiana.com.