SAN ANTONIO — When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, everything changes. Caregivers need support, guidance, and community - and they can get all of that help for free in San Antonio through the local Alzheimer's Association.
More than 16 million Americans devote their lives to caring for a loved one -- without pay and, at times, without support or guidance.
"It's one of the most rewarding things a loved one could ever do," Ginny Funk said. "It's also very very difficult to be a caregiver for someone who is going through significant changes through the course of the disease, changing sometimes their personality, their behaviors, how they communicate so for caregivers it can be very stressful."
That's where the Alzheimer's Association comes in, offering a 24/7 hotline where caregivers and people with Alzheimer's can call with any question, or even just to vent.
"We have educational classes, we have support groups for caregivers, we have support caregivers for people with dementia," Funk said. "Especially early on, they know something's going on, they want to learn more about it, they want to know what to do about it, what should they be doing- so again we have services for caregivers as well as people living with dementia."
To sign up for this year's walk, click here.