Staff Writer

In South Carolina, an estimated 65,000 people are living with Alzheimer's Disease.

Nationwide, an estimated five million people suffer from Alzheimer's.

Now, for the first time in several years, people in Union County who have a family member with Alzheimer's or who simply want to know more about the disease will have a place to turn. An organizational meeting for an Alzheimer's Support Group will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the classroom at Wallace Thomson Hospital.

“We just saw a need for a support group,” said Sheila Jeter, a registered nurse and clinical documentation specialist at the hospital who will facilitate the group with co-worker Quanisha Savage. “Family members of patients with Alzheimer's were having to go to Spartanburg for meetings.”

Joyce Finkle, program director of the Spartanburg Area Office of the South Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association said she is pleased there is interest in a Union support group.

“It has been a real focus for almost a year to be able to reach out to the people of Union County and now that we have a full-time person working in programming, we want to provide education and opportunities,” Mrs. Finkle said. “I think a support group is an excellent way to begin. I'm hoping it will open the door to building relationships and making it more convenient for people to call us and ask for support.”

Some of the services offered by the South Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association include: