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Couple finds support for Mom at Alzheimer’s Support Center

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Photo by Al Hoch

Left-14 month old Nora Chmielewski with the help of her mother right-Larisa Chmielewski, entertains Martha Breyaert (center) who was diagnosed with alzheimers thru the Alzheimer's Support Center Memory Clinic in Beloit.

JANESVILLE — Bob and Vivian Breyaert raised four children.

Bob even retired a year ago with dreams of taking fishing trips and spending more time with his wife, Vivian, of 47 years.

But the reality of that happening seemed impossible because the Beloit couple live with and take care of Bob’s 87-year-old mother, Martha, who can’t be alone. She suffers from dementia.

“We were stuck,” Bob said.

Then earlier this month the Breyaerts learned of an adult day care in Janesville from Nicole Morgan, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Support Center.

“Now we finally have a chance to do things together,” said Bob, who also is planning a three-week trip to Europe, for him and Vivian, later this year.

The Breyaerts have tapped into other services and resources of the Alzheimer’s Support Center, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in April.

At Morgan’s suggestion, they took Martha in February to see psychologist Michael Hughes and geriatric specialist Dr. Ronald Kodras at the Stateline Area Memory Clinic in the Beloit Clinic.

They were willing to try anything to get help for Martha, whose personality and behavior had been changing for some time. Yet Martha’s regular doctor, whom she saw every four months, placed blame on aging.

Martha underwent a thorough three-hour evaluation with a physical exam that included screening for depression, balance, vision and hearing. During the cognitive exam, her memory and judgment were tested along with her ability to communicate and reason.

While Martha was undergoing examinations, Bob and Vivian met with Larisa Chmielewski, memory care coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Support Center, to provide information about Martha’s medical history and a complete list of her medications.

Chmielewski asked how Martha had changed, asking about daily activities from getting dressed to bathing and eating.

“We’re looking at the whole picture,” said Chmielewski, who also wanted to know how Martha does using the telephone and taking medication. They also discussed Martha’s behavior and moods and some of her first symptoms, “which are key to diagnosing the type of dementia,” Chmielewski said.

Lab and imaging tests, such as X-rays and brain scans also were ordered—to detect strokes or tumors—for before the follow-up appointment a couple weeks later.

The diagnosis, for Martha, was mixed dementia, Chmielewski said.

“She has an issue with blood pressure, so it’s a combination of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s,” she said.

“We’re one of the few diagnosers that relies heavily on the weight of the family and that’s why the memory clinic is so vital,” Chmielewski said.

After reviewing the assessment findings, a treatment plan was discussed and a letter was sent to Martha’s primary physician to enhance ongoing care.

Rock County is fortunate to have two memory clinics, which are meant to assist and not replace a person’s primary care provider, because most of the state’s 72 counties have none and some only one.

“For our population, it is an accomplishment to have two in our county. The only reason we have them is because of the cooperation between the Alzheimer’s Support Center and the clinics. No one from the state of Wisconsin mandates that these clinics be in place. They start as one person or group’s idea;; funding and partners are sought, and then the clinic opens and hopefully stays open,” Morgan said.

The Stateline Area Memory Clinic in Beloit has seen 325 patients since opening in August of 2000, while the Janesville Geriatric Assessment Center has seen 42 patients since opening in September of 2006. A total of 16 more screenings have taken place between both memory clinics so far this year.

The Breyaerts are grateful for the Alzheimer’s Support Center.

“We’re so happy somebody is finally helping her,” Vivian said.

“I thought she was being naughty. She would get out of bed and turn on the lights and open the doors. She was being a holy terror,” said Vivian, who was stressed to the max before the Alzheimer’s Support Center also connected her and Bob to a support group. Many other resources, services and classes are available, too.

For the first time in a long time, “we finally felt like somebody understood what we were going through,” Bob said.

“She’s happier,” Vivian said of Martha. “And I’m more relaxed.”

“Before we didn’t know what to do,” Bob said. “It feels so good.”

JUST THE FACTS

Who: Alzheimer’s Support Center.

What: 10th anniversary celebration dinner and Dancing with the Stars benefit.

When: Saturday, April 12. 5:30 p.m. dinner; doors open for the competition at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Janesville Performing Arts Center, 408 S. Main St.

Tickets: Dinner/show package of $40 includes dinner for one and one VIP seat at the Dancing with the Stars dance competition. Nondinner tickets are $15 for VIP seats, $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. To reserve tickets, call the JPAC box office at (608) 758-0297 or visit the box office.

Competitors: Ellen Nieman and Mark Terry, Kelly Horell and Jaysen Jorgensen, Sue McGinniss and Mike Sheridan, Patti Kegibine and Russ Allen, Edie Baran and Keith Steinbeck, Polly Franklin and Mark Franklin, Angela Hohl and Pat Welch, Trish Adee and Jeff Adee.

(Dancers will perform one ballroom-style dance for a panel of guest judges. Points are awarded after each dance. Audience participation is encouraged as the audience can help teams earn bonus points by pledging money for their favorites during intermission.)

WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease that destroys cells in the brain.

The disease is the leading cause of dementia, a condition that involves gradual memory loss, decline in the ability to perform routine tasks, disorientation, difficulty in learning, loss of language skills, impaired judgment and personality changes.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer’s disease become unable to care for themselves. The loss of brain cells eventually leads to the failure of other systems in the body; the rate of progression varies from person to person.

The time from onset of symptoms until death ranges from three to 20 years. The average duration is about eight years. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, a person is diagnosed every 72 seconds.

10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease

-- Recent memory loss that affects everyday life—Everyone forgets things and then recalls them later. People with Alzheimer’s forget often, never recalling. They might repeat the same question, forgetting the earlier answer.

-- Difficulty performing familiar tasks—People with Alzheimer’s forget steps when preparing a meal, making a telephone call, playing a game or completing personal hygiene tasks such as shaving or brushing teeth.

-- Disorientation to time and place—A person with Alzheimer’s might get lost on his or her own street, forgetting the way of arrival or how to get home.

-- Language difficulties—A person with Alzheimer’s might forget simple words or use words inappropriately, making speech hard to understand.

-- Poor or diminished judgment—Anyone might get distracted and fail to watch a child. However, a person with Alzheimer’s could entirely forget the child under his or her care and leave the house. Dressing inappropriately for the weather also is a sign of possible Alzheimer’s disease.

-- Problems with abstract thinking—Anybody can have trouble balancing a checkbook. A person who has Alzheimer’s completely forgets what the numbers mean and what needs to be done with them.

-- Misplacing things—A person with Alzheimer’s disease might put things in odd places such as putting an iron in the freezer.

-- Changes in mood or behavior—Everyone has occasional mood changes, but people with Alzheimer’s can have rapid mood swings, from calm to tears to anger, within a few minutes.

-- Personality changes—A person with Alzheimer’s might change drastically and without apparent reason, becoming irritable, suspicious, fearful and tearful.

-- Loss of initiative—A person with Alzheimer’s might become passive and reluctant to remain involved in activities he or she previously enjoyed.

-Alzheimer’s Support Center

MEMORY CLINICS

The Alzheimer’s Support Center has two memory clinics, which are Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute-Affiliated Dementia Diagnostic Clinics, in Rock County. They are:

-- The Stateline Area Memory Clinic, in the Beloit Clinic, 1905 Huebbe Parkway, Beloit. (608) 364-1288. Open the second Tuesday of the month in the afternoon.

-- The Janesville Geriatric Assessment Center, in Mercy Clinic South, 849 Kellogg Ave., Janesville. (608) 755-7960. Open Tuesday afternoons.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUPS

Beloit

-- Second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Beloit Memorial Hospital, 1969 W. Hart Road, facilitator Larisa Chmielewski, (608) 364-1427.

-- Third Tuesday of the month, 7 to 8:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 511 Public Ave., facilitators Julie Ojeda, (608) 365-5529 and Nancy Toubl, (608) 362-8866.

Edgerton

-- Third Wednesday of the month, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Edgerton Hospital, 313 Stoughton Road, facilitator Tammy Pence, (608) 314-8500.

Janesville

-- First Tuesday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m., First Lutheran Church, Room 301, 612 N. Randall Ave., facilitator Nicole Morgan, (608) 314-8500.

-- Second Thursday of the month, 10 to 11:30 a.m., American Red Cross, 211 N. Parker Drive, facilitators Julie Seeman and Jeanette Steinke, (608) 758-8455.

-- Third Thursday of the month, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Mercy Assisted Care, 901 Mineral Point Road, facilitator Sherlyn Howe, (608) 624-6700.

Milton

-- Fourth Friday of the month, 9 to 10:30 a.m., The Gathering Place, 715 Campus St., facilitators Paula Schutt and Julie Seeman, (608) 868-3500.

Whitewater

-- First Thursday of the month, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Fairhaven’s Hearthstone, 426 W. North St., facilitators Darlene Zeise and Trisha Kerr, (262) 473-2140.

CLASSES FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS

These two-hour sessions are scheduled for four consecutive Mondays, April 7-28, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the United Way of North Rock County building, 205 N. Main St., with Tammy Pence, education coordinator of the Alzheimer’s Support Center. Call (608) 314-8500 to register. Cost is $15. Respite service can be provided for loved ones while attending these classes.

-- April 7—“Bloom and Grow in Knowledge.’’ This session will feature an overview of the stages and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In addition, information related to wandering and other safety issues will be discussed including the Safe Return program.

-- April 14—“The Leaves of the Whispering Oak Tree.’’ This session will offer techniques for communicating effectively with a person with dementia. A discussion on the different legal documents needed including the power of attorney for health care, guardianship and durable power of attorney for finance and property will provide helpful information.

-- April 21—“Your Wheelbarrow of Information.’’ Caregivers make hard decisions regarding the care of loved ones. This session offers guidelines to follow when looking for a facility or respite care. Also, caregivers will begin to recognize the different levels of grief and the different phases of grief that they might experience as caregivers.

-- April 28—“Fertilize and Pruning the Caregiving Tree.’’ Just as a fruit tree needs continual pruning in order to bear fruit, so does a caregiver. A caregiver needs continual support and nourishment to thrive. In order to remain strong and healthy as caregivers, they must take time to care for themselves. Tips will be discussed. This session also will focus on how to access community resources to obtain the best available care for a loved one.