Mi Casa Hospice hosts Alzheimer’s awareness event in Jim Wells County

Mi Casa Hospice brought Alzheimer’s awareness to Jim Wells County on June 29 with a message aimed less at celebration than at the daily realities of memory loss, caregiving strain and the support families can still reach at home. The event centered on education and compassion for residents already managing confusion, personality changes and the slow loss of independence that come with the disease.

The need is large across Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services says Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys memory and thinking ability and is the most common cause of dementia. About 460,000 Texans age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s in 2020, and the state ranks third in the nation for the number of people living with the disease and second for Alzheimer’s deaths. Nationally, an estimated 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s in 2024, a figure projected to reach 12.7 million by 2050 if no cure or effective prevention is found.

Mi Casa Hospice - Alice is built to meet some of those needs close to home. Established in 2016, it serves Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces and San Patricio counties. Its listed services include skilled nursing, physician services, home health aide assistance, medical equipment and medications, 24/7 on-call support, bereavement support, spiritual care, pain and symptom management, social work support and volunteer companionship. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are among the conditions it supports, and the organization is listed as CHAP accredited and Medicare-certified.

The local effort also fits into a broader push in Alice and Jim Wells County. On Thursday, March 24, a first Alzheimer’s Committee meeting for Alice, Jim Wells County and the surrounding area was held with The Premier of Alice, the City of Alice, Alice Independent School District, CHRISTUS Spohn and community supporters. That gathering pointed toward more coordination among health providers, schools and civic leaders as families look for practical ways to respond to dementia at home.

For caregivers trying to navigate the disease now, Texas DSHS points families to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 helpline at 1-800-272-3900 and Alzheimer’s Texas at 512-241-0420 or 1-800-367-2132. State resources also include caregiver support, education, early-stage support, consultations and respite options, giving Jim Wells County residents a clearer path to help when memory loss begins to reshape daily life.