Meals on Wheels of Greenville partners with Prisma Health to support dementia caregivers

Meals on Wheels of Greenville is pleased to announce their partnership with the Memory Health Program of Prisma Health to provide a new program in support of caregivers of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and memory loss clients. The program, called REACH, is supported by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving and stands for Resources Enhancing Alzheimer Caregiver Health. It delivers sessions that provide caregivers the tools and strategies necessary to enable them to give the best possible care to their loved one while maintaining their own health and well-being.

“The Prisma Health Center for Success in Aging Memory Health Program is excited to have the opportunity to work with our community partners to provide dementia caregiver education and support services to underserved populations in our community,” said James Davis, Medical Director of the Memory Health Program, Division of Geriatric Medicine at Prisma Health. “Building on the successful Prisma REACH program, we received grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Community Living to expand services to clients of Meals on Wheels and Access Health. The funding provides for training and support of a Caregiver Coach at each site. These partner organizations are trusted providers in the community and provide unique access to people who may not access dementia care services through the health system or other community agencies.”

This generous grant delivers a zero-cost program to all caregivers of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and memory loss clients of Meals on Wheels of Greenville. Through this partnership, Meals on Wheels of Greenville now has a full-time Dementia Care Coach on staff, Sara Ostendorff. Sara joins Meals on Wheels of Greenville with over 40 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and will be working face to face with caregivers and clients over a six-month period that includes twelve customized sessions.

“As one of only two organizations in the area awarded a grant for this program, we are honored to have the opportunity to further support the caregivers of our clients,” said Nichola Bricco, Director of Nutrition and Client Services at Meals on Wheels of Greenville. “The sessions that a REACH Caregiver Coach teaches are essential in ensuring that these hardworking caregivers are well-informed and prepared in their often-strenuous circumstances, ultimately improving not only the caregiver’s lives, but also our client’s lives. We look forward to our many Alzheimer’s and dementia clients and their families benefiting from this no-cost program.”

The REACH program delivers proven results, including a 38% decrease in caregiver depression. The partnership between Meals on Wheels of Greenville and Prisma Health is expected to run through August 2020, with the possibility of extension. For additional questions about the REACH program and Prisma Health’s partnership with Meals on Wheels of Greenville, please contact Sara Ostendorff, Dementia Care Coach at 864.233.6565, sostendorff@mowgvl.org, or visit www.MealsonWheelsGreenville.org.