Even through COVID-19, the Walk to End Alzheimer's, is still happening in a SAFE way in neighborhoods all over the country! Each community walk has their own time and date scheduled. Take a second to check out the details about your community's walk https://act.alz.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=walk_homepage
I highly encourage you to join a team and partake in fighting to help end the terrible, untreatable symptoms of all dementia's including Alzheimer's Disease. As an Aging Care Professional, I am passionate about this fight, but that's not where my fire for this cause began. My Walk Team: Senior Care Authority End Alzheimer's Walk Team
Almost 20 years ago, my grandpa did NOT receive the care he deserved in a nursing home after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. I was fairly young at the time but from what my relatives say and from my last encounters with him, I'm convinced he was misunderstood and neglected because of his cognitive impairment.
My grandpa loved his harmonica and spending time outside listening to birds. So, why was he always stuck inside, only with the news on the TV blaring in the background at the nursing home? If the staff tried to get to know him even just a little, they would've known he loved being outside and playing his harmonica. This was in 2001 and fortunately, aging care has made positive strides in providing personalized care to their residents. But, there are still some communities that care for our seniors who don't provide adequate, quality care. This needs to change!
From my experiences working in senior living communities, I believe my grandpa living in that type of environment only sped up his cognitive issues increasing his depression, confusion and problem behaviors. He passed away only after living at the nursing home a few months. Now almost 20 years after he passed away, there's still NO cure for any Dementia and the number of people with Dementia symptoms (early, mid, late stages) are continuing to skyrocket.
It's inevitable, we all age. So, what happens if you have a bad accident or start developing dementia symptoms and need help because you can't care for yourself anymore? How are you going to want to be cared for?
My career goal and personal hope is to educate communities on how we need to change the way we are caring for our elderly and start offering more quality care solutions for our aging populations. I hope to help the thousands of people and families who are impacted by Alzheimer's Brain Disease or another form of dementia. I WILL help more people who are misdiagnosed, mistreated, or forgotten because of their cognitive impairments or because of their age.
I walk to support the Alzheimer's Association to help fight Alzheimer's Disease in my Grandpa's honor. I walk to fight for a cure to support all the family caregivers out there who struggle everyday with wondering what to do next and if they are doing the right thing. This is one of the HARDEST experiences to go through or watch somehow go through and I am writing this blog in hopes that you join me in this fight to #ENDALZ.
This year The Walk is everywhere - on every sidewalk, track, and trail. While we won't be gathering at a large in-person event, every one will be walking in their own neighborhoods to support this cause. Will you support me in the fight to #ENDALZ by making a donation on my fundraising page?
Click here >> Laura's Walking to End Alzheimer's Disease!
Thank you for your kind generosity to help find the first survivor of Alzheimer's! The more research that is funded, the closer we are to the first survivor of this untreatable disease.
Laura Cassell, CDP
Care Manager and Dementia Practitioner
Pearl Care Solutions & Senior Care Authority-Gulf Coast