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State dementia specialist outlines free services, statistics for Chesterfield County
Summary
A dementia care specialist with the South Carolina Department on Aging briefed council on county and statewide dementia prevalence, disparities affecting African Americans and free educational and consultative services available to families.
Amy Rushing, the dementia care specialist for the SC Department on Aging’s PD region, briefed Chesterfield County Council on dementia prevalence and available services and asked county leaders to help promote education and outreach.
Rushing said the department’s registry lists more than 900 Chesterfield County residents living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias and she said that figure represents a 109% increase in documented registry cases since February (presenter did not specify the year). She said about 125,000 South Carolinians live with some form of dementia.
Rushing also told council that African Americans in the county are disproportionately affected; she said they are “46 percent more likely” to have some form of dementia than non‑Hispanic white residents, according to the department’s data. She described stigma around dementia and said the department offers free educational programs, consultations and outreach and can partner with churches, organizations and county groups.
Rushing said department services are free, that she can travel to sites in the county and that literature and contact information would be left at the council table for constituents seeking help. She asked council members to help connect her with organizations, churches or groups that would host educational sessions.
Why it matters: County officials were presented with local prevalence figures and an offer of no-cost services, which councilors can use to inform outreach, aging services planning and partnerships with faith- and community-based organizations.
What’s next: Rushing left literature and requested that council members share contact information with community organizations and constituents needing assistance; the county will retain materials for distribution.
