WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

 

Dementia Institute opening in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- An estimated 50,000 people have dementia in West Michigan, and a new full-service operation to address their needs is opening.

The Dementia Institute will provide full-service training and resources for people with dementia, and their loved ones. Classes, simulations, support groups, care navigation, and respite will be available for caregivers. Also, access to a continuum of care that includes in-home, day center, and in-facility care.

Below is more information taken from a Clark Communications news release:

Based out of office and training space in southeast Grand Rapids, the nonprofit offers services to individuals and other care providers centering on these three areas:

  • Education: Training and certification sessions are practical and tailored for family & friends, first responders, healthcare providers, and clergy. The Dementia JourneyTM simulation can be experienced by friends and the whole family.

 

  • Care: The community can benefit from consultations and care navigation, support groups and grief counseling, engagement kits, and Evening StarTM, a worship program designed specifically to serve the spiritual health of people with dementia. A dementia-specialized day center complements in-home and overnight respite care alternatives.

 

  • Research: The Dementia Institute elevates the standards of dementia care in West Michigan and beyond through quality-of-care initiatives and research in partnership with universities.

The organization is led by longtime clinical leader Curt Gritters, RN, BSN, MBA, who serves as Director. Longtime memory care leaders Rosemary Apol-Hoezee, RN, MPH, CPRHM, and Lois Thomas, RN, BSN, are Dementia Specialists; Melanie Newhouse, RN, BSN, is Dementia Coach, and Ron Duemler, MD, a fellowship-trained & board-certified geriatrician, is the Medical Director.

“Everyone knows someone with dementia,” said Curt Gritters, Director of the Dementia Institute. “That means there are many people in West Michigan who need support in their care for family and friends. Thankfully, there’s now a wide array of practical resources to maintain relationships and prolong independence. The relief and hope we see and hear about at the end of our classes, support groups, consultations, or respite days… is quite profound. Word is traveling fast, and we’re already getting requests from all over the country, even international.”

The organization initiated pilot programming in the fall of 2023 to support caregivers of the estimated 50,000 people living with dementia in West Michigan. Since then, the Institute has engaged with numerous area healthcare providers, first responders, clergy, universities, and health-related organizations.

“Collectively, the Dementia Institute team has been developing expertise in dementia care over the last 30 years, so it’s time to take what we learned and turn it into resources and services for individuals and area organizations across the region” Gritters added, referring to the team’s pioneering roles in developing Holland Home’s memory care services.

Learn more about the Dementia Institute at www.dementia-institute.org.

Key facts about dementia:

  • Dementia is not a specific disease but a general term for the persistent loss of brain function, including impairment of memory, abstract thinking, and decision-making that interferes with everyday life.
  • Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia. There are >120 other types, including Vascular, Lewy Body, and Frontotemporal.
  • The journey of dementia can last 8-20 years.
  • Persons living with dementia visit the ER an average of three times more frequently than others.
  • With the right kinds of engagement, people living with dementia can still experience relationships and joy.

# # #

Pharmaceutical research into brain disorders including dementia and alzheimer's, eppendorf tube

Photo: Westend61 / Westend61 / Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content