By Bridget Turcotte
SAUGUS — Saugus could become the first dementia-friendly community on the North Shore, thanks to the Family Caregiver Support Program.
On Nov. 2, the group will hold a teaching day to train members of the community about memory loss and how to help those who are struggling.
Caregiver training will begin at 10 a.m. at the Saugus Senior Center. Community training will follow from noon to 3 p.m. at the library.
The goal is to help people with dementia keep their independence as the illness progresses. Staying home all day causes functions to deteriorate, said Taylor Lamberta, a caregiver support specialist. If the public knows how to recognize the signs and assist someone who is lost or confused, the town will be a safer environment.
Debby Sigel, director of the program, began working on the project in 2001 and said it’s something she’s very passionate about.
“I’ve been providing counseling and other services to families caring for patients with dementia for a number of years,” she said.
The programs serve Lynn, Lynnfield, Swampscott, Saugus and Nahant. A monthly support group meets at the Saugus Senior Center with eight to 10 caregivers, said Lamberta. Overall, the programs serve an average of 50 caregivers in Saugus per month.
More than 20 percent of the town’s population, or 5,484 residents, are 65 and older, said Town Clerk Ellen Schena.
Roughly 25 percent of American families care for an older family member or child with disabilities and more than half the family caregivers are between 35 and 65, balancing work, children and caregiving, according to GLSS’ website.
Sigel hopes to create “a place where a person with memory loss can go to the bank, go to the store, go to the library, go to the department store and know that the people they will be meeting have empathy to support them and make them feel comfortable and welcome.”
She said she wants Saugus to be a community that is safe to live in and where others are respectful and informed about dementia and the many consequences it has for people living in a community.
“Any time that we’ve worked with Saugus, it’s been a community that is very responsive to caring about the issues of dementia,” said Lamberta. “We would really like it if all of our towns could become dementia-friendly but because of the relationships we’ve built in Saugus, and because it seems to be a middle-ground, it’s a good place to start.”
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.