The Alzheimer Family Program (AFP) was established in 1980, under the name The Alzheimer Society, to provide caregiver education, telephone support, support groups, and community outreach related to Alzheimer's Disease. The Center for Aging is the primary funding source for the program, however, a contract from the Office of Senior Citizens Services (OSCS) supports specific caregiver education and support activities. Additional revenue for the program comes from contributions and memorial gifts. Alan Stevens, Ph.D. is the Director of the UAB Center for Aging Dementia Care Research Program and supervises AFP staff. Currently, five areas of special emphasis define the goals of the AFP.
Lifeline phone consultation services.
Staff members of the AFP provide telephone consultation to caregivers in response to their specific needs. Staff members are trained to respond with empathic active listening techniques. Telephone consultation also gathers information about each caregiving situation, so that educational materials and resources to address specific caregiver needs can be provided to callers.
Resource directory of dementia-related services and facilities. The AFP has compiled and currently maintains a comprehensive listing of resources available to caregivers. The directory includes services specific to caregiving needs, such as financial and legal issues, transportation, respite care, and long-term care.
Caregiver support groups. The AFP maintains a complete list of all support groups in Jefferson and surrounding counties. The AFP also sponsors several support groups in the area. In addition to providing caregivers time to interact, and to share stories and advice, support groups facilitate the learning of new caregiving skills. An instructed program teaches caregivers about Alzheimer's Disease and dementia while also helping them develop new approaches to caregiving.
Access to the latest research studies, tests and findings. The AFP provides caregivers with information about all dementia-related research conducted at UAB. The AFP staff members can give caregivers information about the projects, inform them about the benefits of participating in research, and even screen potential participants. The Program also distributes a quarterly newsletter, which outlines current nationwide research studies and outcomes.
Community outreach. Sharing information with the community about AD and caregiving is a central goal of the AFP. The AFP conducts public education to promote awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease and to enhance caregivers’ knowledge and expertise in caring for their care recipients. Dr. Stevens and staff members of the AFP conduct workshops, in-service training, public talks, and seminars. These reach a large number of both professional and family caregivers, who otherwise might have limited access to patient care information.
The Family Program may be reached by calling (205) 934-2178 or by Email at AFP@aging.uab.edu.