Alzheimer's Affects More Than Just the Patient

Zekie McKenzie has struggled to take care of her husband Neil, who has Alzheimer's, the past eight years.

Every 60 seconds, somewhere in America, a baby boomer turns 60. And with that aging population comes an increase in senility, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In today’s health news, MPB’s Cari Gervin reports on how one Mississippi family is coping.

Zekie McKenzie is 77. Her husband Neil is 81.

“Fifty years ago friends called us Siamese twins, because we’ve always enjoyed each other.”

Zekie has been happily married for over 50 years. Even though lately, Neil doesn’t know who she is.

“Sometimes it takes him a little clearing of the eyes, but he sees me, and here comes the big smile, always. And he is now where he dozes off a little, but he doesn’t turn loose my hands.”

Neil McKenzie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s eight years ago. Zekie says the disease caught her by surprise.

“And despite the fact that he had siblings who had it, I was just appalled at the time. I, I just, I guess I was playing ostrich, but I did not realize that he had Alzheimer’s – because he was reading the daily newspapers to me.”

Jo Ann O’Quin says that this happens all the time. O’Quin is a professor of social work at the University of Mississippi who specializes in gerontology. She’s been running an Alzheimer’s support group in Oxford since 1985. Unfortunately, O’Quin says not a lot has changed.

“The disease of course is a progressive, terminal illness with no known cause, no known cure, no known prevention and really, no known treatments.”

The only thing that has changed, O’Quin says, is strategies to help families cope. There are an estimated two to four caregivers for every Alzheimer’s patient. Helping these spouses, children and friends deal with the disease will be even more important in the coming years.

“Alzheimer’s is a very paramount problem. It is our next epidemic.”

Kathy Van Cleave runs the Alzheimer’s and dementia division of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. She says more than 52,000 Mississippians – thirteen percent of all people over the age of 65 – have the disease. And that number is going up.

“Because we are one of the most obese states in the nation, it is projected that within 5, 10, 15 years from now, we will be one of the highest states with a percentage of Alzheimer’s disease in our elderly population. We know that heart health and brain health are tied together. So the highest incidents we have of diabetes, the higher problems that we have with heart disease – those kinds of things will affect our rates for Alzheimer’s disease in the future.”

Van Cleve says Alzheimer’s is a huge public health issue, and one the state is not prepared to handle. Her department does as much outreach and education as it can, but her staff can’t take care of dementia patients.

“We’ve found that the longer we can keep individuals in their homes and give caregivers the tools they need, then it’s less of a burden on the overall health care system.”

Keeping Alzheimer’s patients at home can be a challenge. Most patients in the early stages of the disease have cognitive problems but not physical ones, so home health care is not necessary.

But taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s is stressful, even if it is your beloved husband. Zekie McKenzie:

“I’d never been to a support group in my life, but I found out it was really helpful.”

In addition to support groups, adult day care centers are starting to become a big part of care strategy. Like day care for children, adult day centers are more affordable than home sitters. They also provide important social interaction for the patients.

While there are only a handful of these centers in Mississippi, Kathy Van Cleave says her department is working to increase the number. Still, in a state with such a large rural population, family and friends will always remain the primary care givers

Take the McKenzies. Three years ago, they finally left their farm near Grenada and moved to Oxford to be near their son. Zekie’s in one nursing home, and Neil’s in another. But that doesn’t stop her from providing the best care she’s able to give.

“Go on and accept what you’ve got, and learn to do the best you can with what you have. Just because you have dementia doesn’t mean you lose love. I’ve spent the morning with my husband today. He doesn’t know a lot about what’s going on, but he says, ‘I love you,’ and I know he realizes it. And he’s loved.”

And for caregivers, caring is really the most important thing. For MPB News, I’m Cari Gervin in Oxford.