I always say, if you’ve met one person with Alzheimer’s—then you’ve met one person with Alzheimer’s. Many people don’t realize how each individual has a unique experience with the disease—unique symptoms, a unique path to diagnosis and unique needs. November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregiver Month, and as a member of the Alzheimer’s Association National Early-Stage Advisory Group, I’m proud to share my story to help raise awareness of disease [...]
Choice is a luxury and usually a gift. As a caregiver to a loved one, the absence of choice is a difficult concept to grasp when you are accustomed to the illusion of choice and control in your life. It is earth- shaking to have circumstance thrust upon you, pushing you towards decisions that may go against your grain. – Tania Richard My mother was diagnosed with dementia in the summer of 2011. At the [...]
My favorite cartoonist, the late Charles Schulz of Peanuts fame, wrote that, “Happiness is a warm puppy.” I wonder if he knew that happiness is just the start when it comes to enhancing the lives of older loved ones in nursing homes or assisted living, terminal patients such as those suffering from AIDS, children with special needs and even caregivers looking to improve their own health. Known as Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), there is a growing [...]
Girls on the Gridiron – Taking the Fight Against Alzheimer’s to the Field People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society. – Vince Lombardi It is officially fall and fall means football season – fans, cheerleaders, Friday night lights, afternoon tailgaters, Monday Night Football. When we think of football – we think of the gladiators of the gridiron. However, one of the best football [...]
