(San Antonio, Texas, March 20, 2008) For the millions of Spanish-speaking caregivers, LightBridge Healthcare Research has launched its Spanish-language website devoted to caregiving for persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The site offers articles on Alzheimer's disease and caregiving, strategies and tips for dealing with challenging behaviors, an on-line community forum, and recent news articles. The Spanish-language site replicates the full content available on LightBridge's English-language site.
In the U.S., there are approximately 200,000 Hispanic elders with Alzheimer's disease, and that number is expected to grow by more than 600% over the next four decades to 1.3 million. According to a study by the Alzheimer's Association, Hispanics are more likely to care for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease at home, for longer periods of time, and during higher levels of impairment.
Worldwide, there are an estimated 24 million people suffering from dementia; Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50% - 60% of these cases. By 2040, this number will reach 81 million. In Latin America, 1.8 million people were reported with dementia in 2001, and projections estimate that number to increase to 4.1 million by 2020.
LightBridge Healthcare Research also offers educational materials for Spanish-speaking caregivers, including two new interactive CD-ROMs that provide an in-depth introduction to Alzheimer's disease and strategies for dealing with nutrition and mealtime issues.
The LightBridge CD-ROMs include video vignettes of caregivers confronting challenging behaviors, practical solutions, interactive program-based learning, interviews with real caregivers, glossary of Alzheimer's terms, frequently asked questions and links to internet resources. The CD-ROMs are designed to be used on a personal computer, which allows for learning at an individualized pace, and provides for extensive resource materials.
LightBridge developed the Spanish-language website and the CD-ROMs through grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In creating these educational resources, LightBridge collaborated with leading academic researchers, clinical practitioners and national universities, including University of Maryland, University of Texas, University of Iowa, Duke University School of Nursing, and University of New Mexico.
