Alzheimer's Assoc. office to close in Medford

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The regional office of the Alzheimer's Association in Medford will close its doors at the end of November, a victim of shrinking donations in a lean economy.

Offices in Portland and Eugene will remain open, said Kate Dyer-Seeley, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Alzheimer's Association.

"We are trying to protect the core so these services can be provided to the state," Dyer-Seeley said.

The Central Oregon office in Bend also will close.

"In these economic times, we need to be as nimble as we can be," she said.

The Medford office, located at 2860 State St., provided information and referrals, support groups, care consultation, education and safety services to families of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Closing the local office means Southern Oregon will lose its library, the physical site and staff members Loretta Ascencio and Tia Lawson, Dyer-Seeley said.

She declined to say how much local donations have declined, but she noted that the primary local fundraiser, the Memory Walk, brought in less in 2009 than it had in three years. "Just because of the economy, people are not as able to donate," she said. "As a nonprofit, that's our main revenue stream."

The association is hoping to partner with a local third party in order to host the Memory Walk next year, Dyer-Seeley said.

She estimated there are 3,000 to 4,000 people with Alzheimer's disease in Southern Oregon and about as many as 76,000 across the state.

The Alzheimer's Association will continue to provide support locally through its toll-free help line, 1-800-272-3900. Local support groups will continue to meet and the Medic Alert and Safe Return programs will continue to operate.

The statewide Web site, www.alz.org/oregon, which has resources for families, caregivers, professionals and advocates, also will be maintained.

"We have 80 support groups throughout the state who we train, and all of those services will continue," she said.

The organization recently was awarded the Star-C grant and will begin working with the Oregon State Unit on Aging in early 2010 in Southern Oregon to provide in-home services for people with mid-stage Alzheimer's.

"We anticipate with the grant money, we will be serving more people with a physical presence than we were with one-and-a-half people," she said.

"We're fully committed to provide outreach and not leave families high and dry," she added.

The local chapter has scheduled a farewell event and open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 19 to celebrate past achievements and thank those who have supported them.

Reach intern Teresa Thomas at 776-4464 or at intern1@mailtribune.com.

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