Eau Claire (WEAU) -- Researchers say every 69 seconds somebody develops Alzheimer’s disease.

A new free program at the Aging & Disability Resource Center in Eau Claire called Memory Care Connections is providing knowledge and comfort to spouses and caregivers of someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Virginia and Alfred Everson have been married for 35 happy years. But two years ago their wedded bliss began to change as Alfred slipped into the world of dementia.

“There are times when he is still relatively himself, but for the most part Al is no longer Al, he has more or less evaporated,” 85-year-old Virginia says.

And that left Virginia depressed and feeling overwhelmed by her caretaking responsibilities.

“She needed a breather,” her son Jim Schroeder tells us.

And that's when Virginia and sons Jim and John were introduced to Memory Care Connections, a grant that's funded through the Administration on Aging.

“This program is actually replicating an evidence based study done at New York University and so this program was proven effective at reducing care giver stress and also delaying nursing home care,” Lisa Wells at the Eau Claire Aging and Disability office says.

Caretakers and their adult family members, usually grown children have four sessions where families learn how to work together to relieve the stress of the caretaker. They also talk about available resources, and that's the key to the weight being lifted from Virginia’s shoulders.

“For me it's meant sort of taking the pressure off when the pressure is building, there is help and release out there,” Virginia says of the program’s help.

“The great thing about this program is it gives you the ability to work with somebody in the home and not take that jump straight to the nursing facility,” Schroeder says.

Memory Care Connections is a program that's available in six area counties, including Eau Claire, Chippewa, Dunn, Barron, Washburn and Rusk counties.

You call your local Aging and Disability Resource office to learn more about the programs available in your area, or click on the links below.

Alzheimer’s Association

Memory Care Connections