Rock County uses purple tubes to help those with memory loss

April 26--JANESVILLE -- It is 2 a.m., and your mother is trying to leave the house.

You know she has nowhere to go. You try to stop her, but she doesn't recognize who you are.

You don't know what to do, so you call the police.

That's not an uncommon predicament for those who have loved ones with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or memory loss, said Cori Marsh, dementia care specialist for the Rock County Aging and Disability Resource Center.

People with memory loss sometimes need daily help from law enforcement or an emergency medical services professional, she said.

That's why the Aging and Disability Resource Center has partnered with various agencies on the Purple Tube Project, an initiative that helps both the families of people with memory loss and first responders.

Funded by state grants, the project is exclusive to Rock County and was created by Marsh, the Rock County Council on Aging, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services personnel and the 911 Communications Center, Marsh said.

More than 3,600 Rock County residents have Alzheimer's, Marsh said, and that number has doubled in the last 20 years.

The initiative stars a purple tube, which is supplied free to families that request it. Inside the tube is information first responders might find useful in a crisis situation: a safety plan, emergency and nonemergency contacts, medical history, copies of health care powers of attorney, updated photos and anything else the family thinks is necessary.

The tubes are purple because that's the color for Alzheimer's awareness.

They do not include passwords, banking information or other sensitive details, Marsh said.

Resource center staff members meet with families to fill out the information, she said. It is then shared with the communications center so first responders are aware to look for the tube when they arrive.

The tubes are kept in the same place in every household, Marsh said. If the tube is missing, first responders can get the information from the communications center.

Resource center staff will contact families every six months to update their information, she said.

Almost every emergency medical technician, advanced EMT and paramedic in the county has been trained on how the program works, and the resource center is working to reach those who have not been trained, Marsh said.

The center worked with first responders and affected families on the project so all parties' needs could be met.

"We looked hard at making it useful for everyone involved," she said.

Marsh also believes that the center needs to care for caregivers, too.

Becoming a caregiver often happens so gradually that it sneaks up on people, she said. One day, a wife is helping to take out the trash. Then, all of a sudden, she is doing it herself.

The resource center is hosting Caregiver Bootcamp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Rock County Job Center for people who are helping loved ones maintain their independence.

The event is designed to help initiate difficult conversations about such things as giving up a driver's license or preparing for the future.

Caregivers have to remember to take care of themselves, Marsh said. That includes knowing their limitations and keeping a list of things to tell people when they offer to help.

Being a caregiver is full of choices, she said, and the resource center can help caregivers navigate those choices.

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