LISTEN: In the wake of actor Gene Hackman’s death in February, Family Hospice and the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association are reminding people to regularly check in on loved ones living with dementia. GPB’s Ellen Eldridge has more.
In the wake of actor Gene Hackman’s death, Family Hospice and the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association are reminding people to regularly check in on loved ones living with dementia.
Hackman’s dementia left him helpless and alone in his Santa Fe, N.M., home after his 65-year-old wife, who was also his caregiver, unexpectedly died, said Paige Powell with Family Hospice, which has 10 offices across Georgia and South Carolina.
The main cause of the 95-year-old's death in February was heart disease, but he was also in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease and likely had not eaten for a long time, according to a new autopsy report.
The actor’s story underscores the importance of community awareness, Powell said.
"This is just a reminder of that," Powell said. "You know, if somebody is struggling or if somebody just needs a little bit of extra help, that we are checking in on our neighbors and our loved ones."
Powell said the #ICheckedIn campaign is about reducing isolation, building connections and potentially saving lives.
"We want to be able to give back to the community, and not just our patients, but the community as a whole," Powell said. "We're locally rooted here so we want to give back. It's neighbors helping neighbors."
1 in 3 seniors nationwide dies with Alzheimer’s or another disease of dementia, which is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans over 65, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
Almost 20% of Georgia's population is older than age 60, and about 10% of the state's seniors are living alone, but only about seven caregivers exist for every 100,000 residents, according to data analyzed earlier this year by The Mesothelioma Center.
Women make up two-thirds of all cases, and are more likely to be caregivers.
