Family Caregiver Resource Guide - Albuquerque 1 | Page 14

2017 • CAREGIVER GUIDE

Savvy means “knowing.”

Someone who is savvy is
knowledgeable, clever,
astute, sharp-witted, sharp,
perceptive, and wise. When
referring to caregiving,
and specifically dementia
caregivers, savvy care
giving means developing
a sense of control or
mastery while reducing
the effects of caregiving
stress and increasing one’s
sense of satisfaction and
accomplishment.
Savvy Caregiver is a free,
seven-week, evidence-based
course that teaches practical
strategies for caregiving while
increasing caregiver skill and
decreasing caregiver stress.
The program is a unique
approach to family caregiver
education. It has been
developed by clinicians and
educators who understand
that caregiving is in many
ways a form of clinical
work, and have tailored the
training accordingly. The
central concept is the notion
of strategy; throughout the
program caregivers are urged
to learn, develop and modify
strategies that will be used

to accomplish the goal for
their particular caregiving
situation. Another main
tenet of the program is for
the caregiver to integrate a
contented involvement with
the person they are caring
for into their daily life. The
program presents ideas
from many disciplines and
sources. Throughout the
program caregivers are urged
to learn, develop and modify
strategies that will be used
to accomplish the goal for
their particular caregiving
situation.
Previous participants
report that the class has
helped them see their
caregiving responsibilities
in a new light, and that they
continue to use the strategies
they learned as they travel
through their caregiving
journey.
Each class is two hours
in length and class size is
limited, so you must
pre-register. For more
information or to register
for future classes, please
call [phone], or visit
alz.org/newmexico.

More than 38,000 individuals in New Mexico suffer from
Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Statistics show that about
60% of these individuals will wander at some time or another.
The Albuquerque Police Department and the Department of Senior
Affairs are working together through the Silver Alert program
to ensure missing persons with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia
are quickly returned to their family or caregiver.
Silver Alert is a public notification system to broadcast
information about missing persons who suffer from Alzheimer’s
disease of other dementias. The system notifies the public of a
missing senior using television, radio, electronic billboards, reverse
911 and traffic signs. The public is asked to call a phone number if
they see the missing person.
Individuals who are 60 or older and suffer from Alzheimer’s
disease or other dementia are eligible to register for Silver
Alert. The Department of Senior Affairs will place vital information
and a photo of the individual on a USB drive and give the drive to
the family member/caregiver who accompanied the person to the
Silver Alert registration.
When the family member/caregiver determine