MANY TIMES, IT IS VERY CHALLENGING, IF NOT SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE, TO FIND SOME JOY AND BLESSINGS AS ONE ALSO CONFRONTS THE ONGOING TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS POSED BY AD AND OTHER SIMILAR DISEASES. THERE IS NO "MAGICAL WAND" AS MUCH AS MOST OF US WOULD LIKE ONE. HOWEVER, ONE'S CLOSE FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND FAITH CAN PROVIDE INVALUABLE AND POWERFUL HAVENS.
WELCOME EVERYONE! AS OUR STUDY MOVES AHEAD, WE WILL BE PROVIDING PERIODIC UPDATES. AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF MY RESEARCH PARTNERS, WE ARE MOST APPRECIATIVE OF ALL YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT.
THE QUESTIONNAIRE HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH AND IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!! WE WILL ALSO HAVE HARD COPIES AVAILABLE TOO!! SPECIAL THANKS AGAIN GO TO CORINNE O'BRIEN, AGUSTINA FERNANDEZ--MOYA, DR. MARIA JIBAJA-WEISS, GLORIA CHAUCA, AND ILIANA GAMEZ.
WORKING WITH A TEAM FROM UH AND BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, DEPARTMENTS OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE AND NEUROLOGY, JIM WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE A RESEARCHER INITIATED GRANT APPLICATION TO THE NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT FUNDED THIS YEAR, WE WILL REVISE AND TRY AGAIN.
WE HAVE ADDED A NEW RESEARCH ASSOCIATE TO OUR TEAM, JESSICA MARTINEZ. JESSE HAS BEGUN CREATING OUR COMPANION WEB PAGES IN SPANISH! *SS*
FALL 2004 STUDY HIGHLIGHTS
HERE ARE SOME RESULTS ABOUT OUR CURRENT PARTICIPANTS' BACKGROUNDS THUS FAR. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CANNOT REPORT THE OTHER INFORMATION FOCUSING ON CAREGIVER COMM SKILLS, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND COPING UNTIL THE STUDY NEARS COMPLETION.
64 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS HAVE COMPLETED THE SURVEY USING THE PAPER VERSION.
80 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS ARE FEMALE AND 20 PERCENT ARE MALE.
78 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS ARE 52 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
44 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS RESIDE IN TX AND OH RESPECTIVELY. THE REMAINING 12 PERCENT RESIDE IN PA, NE, AND MA.
82 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS REPORT THEY ARE CAUCASIAN. SIX PERCENT REPORT THEY ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN RESPECTIVELY. THE REMAINING SIX PERCENT IS COMPRISED OF HISPANIC AND ASIAN AMERICANS.
72 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS ARE MARRIED.
26 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS ARE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. 16 PERCENT HAVE SOME COLLEGE. 58 PERCENT ARE COLLEGE GRADS, HAVE GRAD CREDIT HOURS, AND/OR HOLD A GRADUATE DEGREE.
58 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS REGULARLY ATTEND SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF TIMES ATTENDING A MEETING DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS WAS REPORTED AT 6 TIMES WITH THE RANGE OF RESPONSES FROM 3-14 TIMES.
54 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS REPORTED PROVIDING CARE FOR MORE THAN 35 HOURS. 22 PERCENT REPORTED PROVIDING CARE 4 HRS OR LESS.
34 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPATING CAREGIVERS REPORTED FIRST OBSERVING THE SYMPTOMS OF AD OR DEMENTIA 2-4 YRS AGO.
50 PERCENT REPORTED THAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT.
*****UPDATED RESULTS AVAILABLE IN AUGUST******
