PARIS – The Alzheimer’s Association Maine Chapter held a seminar Wednesday on caring for people with dementia, including recognizing their need to have purpose.

Darlene Field, education and training specialist for the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and Dr. James Donahue addressed about 30 caregivers at the all-day event at the Western Maine University and Community College Center on Route 26.

Donahue said sometimes people focus so much on the problem that they miss the concept of the whole person. He told listeners that because each individual with Alzheimer’s is unique, “you will not always be as successful tomorrow as you are today.”

Field urged caregivers to reach out to each individual. “Sometimes it’s the simplest thing, like touching the person,” she said. She also stressed that even though a person has Alzheimer’s it does not mean that they have lost all purpose to live.

“The need to have purpose does not go away,” Field said of Alzheimer’s patients.

“Take a deep breath, center yourself and walk into that person’s world,” Donahue said.

The seminar was developed to work with families and caregivers to raise awareness of the struggles of dealing with an Alzheimer’s patient, said Peg Gagnon, development and marketing coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association Maine Chapter.

More than 1,250 people in Oxford County were identified with Alzheimer’s disease last year.

The disease was first described by German physician Alois Alzheimer in 1906, but it wasn’t until the past 15 years or so that much has been learned about the progressive brain disease.

The Alzheimer’s Association Maine Chapter has a statewide help line available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-272-3900.

Based in Falmouth, the association provides programs and services to anyone in need of help, including support groups, in more than 50 locations. It also offers care management and consultation services provided by licensed professionals and educational programs for patients and their families, health care and long-term care professions.