For the family members of someone stricken with Alzheimer's Disease, receiving support to live is just as important as giving care to the patient.

The Alzheimer's Disease Support Group of Centre County provides literature, support sessions and informational seminars to help family members of an Alzheimer's patient cope with the stress in caring for someone with the disease.

The group tries to educate and meet the emotional needs of the family members, said Joy Bodnar, group co-facilitator.

Co-facilitator Steven Zarit estimates about 400 people in Centre County have the disease, and about 100 are on the group's mailing list.

Alzheimer's Disease is a degenerative brain disorder which disrupts some brain cells and their functions. It also interferes with the production of chemicals in the brain, making patients forgetful and extremely emotional.

It is one of many forms of dementia, or mental disorders. About half of the cases of dementia in people 65 or older is Alzheimer's related, said Robert Mitchell, associate professor of biology.

"We know more about the symptoms than about the causes," Mitchell said. The disease could be inherited or infectious but these are still theories, he added.

One way to help families is sponsoring speakers who can help family members with legal and emotional concerns. The group sponsors four seminars a year.

Kenneth P. Walsh spoke Tuesday night on legal issues facing the chronically ill elderly.

Walsh talked about the legal power of attorney, which can turn over control of personal affairs to another person. He also explained Medicare and Medicaid and discussed the legality of living wills and trusts.

The family members, or caregivers, also join together for informal discussions and listen to others who have been in similar situations, Zarit said.

"The caregivers provide a lot of support for one another," said co-facilitator Joy Bodnar.

The group meets once each month, in which about eight to 10 people participate. The group will usually have one new-comer attend each meeting.

At the meetings, members discuss issues they are facing, such as the high cost of caring for the disease, conflicts within the family on what should be done for the patient and how to help the patient.

"It's helpful to hear what someone else has been going through," Bodnar said.

University students also become involved with the group. They participate in almost every program, Zarit said.

The support group encourages both graduate and undergraduate students to find out if health education is the right field for them.

The support group also distributes updated literature about the disease from a variety of sources, such as the Family Survival Project, based in Los Angeles and various governmental agencies.

The literature is sent not only to the members of the group but also to pharmacies and health agencies around Centre County.

The materials range in topics "from what the disease is, to how to get a medical assessment, to how to handle stresses," Zarit said.