IMPORTANT UPDATE
Download useful COVID-19 resources for family caregivers of persons with dementia here!
The ACTS 2 Program was named a top dementia caregiving program by the Family Caregiver Alliance and the Ben Rose Institute on Aging!
One-on-one training and support
For qualified, professional services
Prayer, faith sharing and peer support
Serving as a caregiver for a family member or close friend with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia can be a source of great personal satisfaction and reward, providing opportunities to give back to a loved one who has done so much for others. Caregiving, however, can be demanding and stressful, leaving the caregiver prone to frequent emotional ups-and-downs and physical health problems. Many caregivers find it difficult to focus on their own spiritual and emotional well-being, and even their own health care needs. Unfortunately, such well-meaning dedication may become a recipe for caregiver self-neglect, emotional fatigue and ultimately, a downhill course of physical health.
The African-American Alzheimer’s Caregiver Training and Support Project 2 (ACTS 2) offers faith-based, skills-building and support services to distressed African-American caregivers of loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The ACTS2 Project is funded by an endowment from Dave Groves, VALIC, Inc., and the Florida State University College of Medicine’s Sandy Halperin Alzheimer’s Research Fund and is provided free of charge to participants.
The ACTS 2 12-week, telephone-based skills-building and support program covers topics such as:
Learning to recognize different patterns of thinking and how they impact the way you feel and respond to your loved one with dementia, family members, and health care professionals.
Learning about the types of dementia and how to cope effectively with dementia-related symptoms (for example, frequent repetitions).
Learning about different relaxation techniques and how they can reduce your overall stress level.
Identifying problems in caring for your loved one with dementia and with significant others and setting goals to overcome these challenges.
Learning about the different types of communication and developing skills in assertive communication (the most effective type of communication.)
Developing skills for dealing with difficult caregiving situations, such as combative behavior and agitation.