MADISON – Christy Todd will shed a different, brighter light about aging during her program at Madison Public Library.

(CONTRIBUTED)

Todd works as community relations coordinator for Senior Helpers, which provides caregivers to help elderly individuals. Todd’s presentation, “A New Perspective on Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care,” will start at noon on Nov. 8 at the library.

“I’ll be trying to make the community aware of (signs) to look for with their parents and other individuals facing dementia,” Todd said. “Senior Helpers’ program can help.”

Senior Helpers applies the Senior Gem program designed by industry expert Teepa Snow. “Teepa has defined categories for the stages in dementia and what to look for and how to respond at the different levels,” Todd said.

Snow uses gemstone references to an elderly person’s condition. For example, ‘sapphires’ are people whose abilities are changing and are facing trouble with some tasks. Senior Helpers has arranged for Snow to visit Huntsville in March 2014.

“Senior Helpers is the only group trained for Senior Gems,” Todd said. “We can help any adult with different needs, from an apartment flooding to depression in a long-term facility. We can satisfy their basic needs, like taking them shopping or a trip to the park, housekeeping, buying groceries or picking up prescriptions. ”

A doctor must diagnose Alzheimer’s. “Alzheimer’s is a branch of dementia, which comes in many forms and types,” Todd said.

Being forgetful is a normal sign of aging, not dementia. However, a valid sign of dementia occurs when a person forgets an object’s location and accuses someone of stealing it, she said.. Also, forgetting the use of an object is an indicator, such as the reason you use a suitcase.

Todd said Senior Helpers’ services are affordable. “So many people need the help,” she said.

For more information, call 256-650-2982, email to ctodd@seniorhelpers.com or visit seniorhelpers.com.