Division  of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementia

The Division of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementia, established in 1998, is responsible for the development and maintenance of Adult Day Programs for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, and counseling, education and training for family members, caregivers and service providers.

Current projects include the funding of two adult day programs:

• Footprints Adult Day Services, Newton, MS  601-683-4320


• Garden Park Adult Day Program, Greenwood, MS  662-451-9058

The Division can customize training at no charge for professionals, caregivers and service providers.

The Division of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementia currently operates in the state Central Office with satellite offices in Cleveland, Long Beach and Magee. Contact the Division of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementia at:

Kathy Van Cleave, LMSW, LCMHT, Division Director
MS Department of Mental Health
Boswell Regional Center
Magee, MS
601-867-5000, ext. 75242 or Toll Free: 1-877-210-8513


Dianne Arnold, MEd, LPC
MS Department of Mental Health
Delta State University
Cleveland, MS
662-846-5335


Melora Jackson, MS, CMHT
MS Department of Mental Health
South Mississippi Regional Center
Long Beach, MS
228-214-5556


For more information contact the Department of Mental Health at 601-359-1288 or the Department of Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-210-8513.

What You Should Know About Alzheimer's Disease - Brochure


Facts About Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia

• More than 4.5 million Americans over the age of 60 experience a world that offers little more than confusion and instability.


• For individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, the idea of past, present, and future are no longer a solid base on which to rest their perception of reality.


• In 2000 it was estimated that 52,000 Mississippi citizens suffered from Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder.


• One in 10 people over the age of 65 is affected.


• Nearly 50% of all people age 85 and older may have symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.


• The disease lasts anywhere from two to twenty years.


• The majority of care-giving for the person with Alzheimer's disease is undertaken by the family.


• To fully understand the impact of this and related diseases, we must consider the physical, emotional, and financial difficulty that care-givers/families must bear.


• 81% of caregivers are women in their mid-fifties, who provide 24-hour a day care for their family member.


• 33% of caregivers are the sole caretaker of the individual with Alzheimer's disease.


• 75% of family caregivers indicate the presence of some form of depression.


• The basic family caregiver spends at least 100 hours per week caring for the individual with Alzheimer's disease.


• If the family member does maintain a job outside of the home, reports show that they miss, on average, 17 or more working days per year--36% report a loss in income.

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