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Steamboat Springs — When Pete Ramirez thinks about his mom, he remembers a woman who was fiercely independent. A woman who kept her house as clean as any five-star hotel, a woman who could remember every moment of her kids’ lives, and a woman who relished taking care of herself in her isolated, rural Texas town.

But then his mother had surgery at age 72, and her physical and mental health started sliding.

Alzheimer’s disease slowly was whittling away Ramirez’s mom, and he found himself in a new role — having to care for an aging parent. That role was even more challenging because he lived in Fort Collins.

Today, there are about 7 million Americans who are long-distance caregivers. But long distance doesn’t mean impossible.

“Certainly, caring for someone who lives far away and who you can’t see frequently isn’t easy, but there are always ways to be involved and to provide help that can make a difference,” said Emmalie Conner, the northern Colorado regional director of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Too often, people give up hope that they can be effective from a distance.”

Conner will share advice at a free program, “How to be a long-distance caregiver,” at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Conference Room 1 at Yampa Valley Medical Center.

Her tips include:

■ When visiting an aging relative, take a look at how they are living. Is the relative eating regularly and able to cook? Are bills being paid? If you have concerns, find local resources such as an office on aging or the Alzheimer’s Association.

■ If necessary, form a support plan, which includes neighbors and possibly paid caregivers.

■ Through the Alzheimer’s Association website, people can access an online calendar to help support families by designating tasks to caregivers or volunteers.

Ramirez found that meeting with staff at his local Alzheimer’s office provided solutions.

“Without the help of the Alzheimer’s Association, I do not know what I would have done,” Ramirez said. “I learned what I could do to care for my mother even though I lived a thousand miles away from her.”

He learned more about the disease and how best to talk with his mom on the phone as her memory declined. It soon became apparent that his mother could no longer safely live in her house but she refused to leave.

The Alzheimer’s Association and Ramirez together brainstormed a way to move his mom to an assisted-living facility.

Ramirez’s mother died last year. While his journey has ended, he urges others involved in long-distance caregiving to find assistance.

“Ignorance is a terrible thing,” Ramirez said. “Without the resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Association I could never have traveled this road.”

Julie A. Piotraschke is the media volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association, Northern Colorado Region.