Inside: Another chance to DOUBLE your support – Alzheimer’s disease

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Optimum Senior Care Blog

Thanks to the support of generous friends like you, we successfully reached our $500,000 matching gift challenge goal before our deadline. For the more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and their more than 15 million caregivers, this means twice as much help and hope in the new year — and it’s all thanks to you.
Today, we have another incredible opportunity to sustain our momentum and make twice the impact in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Thanks to an anonymous, longtime supporter of the Association’s programs and services, all gifts received by December 31 — up to a total of $10,000 — can go TWICE as far.
Before the year ends, your gift of $35 can become $70, your $60 can become $120 or your $120 can become $240. This generous donor has chosen to use their gift to help advance Association programs and services in their local area. When you give today, your gift can go twice as far to fund care and support services, as well as exciting research with the potential to discover methods of treatment, prevention and, ultimately, a cure.
We’re counting on you to help us take advantage of this limited-time opportunity — so please don’t hesitate to make a tax-deductible gift today that can have twice the impact. Together, we can change the future of Alzheimer’s disease.

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Alzheimer’s Association Community Representative Spotlight

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Optimum Senior Care Blog

Alzheimer’s Association Community Representative Spotlight

In fiscal year 2016, 21,580 hours of service were contributed by 2,304 volunteers, all who regularly shared their time and talents serving in a variety of roles. The volunteer work of our AACRs (Alzheimer’s Association Community Representatives) is critical to achieving our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s disease. In this article, we feature one of our Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter AACRs, Natasha White.

Alzheimer’s Association Community Representatives Spotlight

The work of AACRs is critical to achieving our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s disease. Read the stories of some of our Star AACRs below.

Natasha White

My name is Natasha White and I live on the Southside of Chicago. I have an 18-year-old daughter who is college bound in September this year, and I’m totally not ready for her to go. I absolutely love music, dancing and doing different and exciting things. My favorite color is blue and favorite artist of all time is Prince. I love writing poetry, helping people and learning new things. I am also a licensed massage therapist in Illinois and am working on building my relaxation and self-care business. I am very excited about venturing into entrepreneurship. I do perform relaxation techniques part-time and hope to build my own business so that I can provide complementary services to caregivers.

What led to your involvement with the Alzheimer’s Association and the ACCR program?
My personal experience with the disease started with my paternal grandmother. Although I had heard of Alzheimer’s disease before, I had never known anyone who battled with it. My father took great care of my grandmother, but it was challenging to see such a strong woman change so rapidly from what we knew her to be. I got to experience up close and personal what it meant to care for a loved one. When my mother was diagnosed with dementia, it was very difficult because I had no idea what to do and there were times I felt helpless. I did consult my father since he had some experience with caring for my grandmother. He shared some things with me, but I found that every person’s battle is different. I had to really adjust how I responded to my mom whenever she had an episode. She struggled with the idea that she had a problem, and I had to find ways to work around her losing her independence.

I did a lot of my own research so that I could find out more about the disease and how to care for my mom. Putting her in a nursing home was not an option. In the midst of caring for her, I suffered from sleep deprivation, chronic fatigue, depression, anger and a roller coaster of emotions, but I was determined to make sure my mom got what she needed. There were good and bad days, and the majority of the time I felt alone. This new experience dropped a huge bomb on me as well as my daughter, who as a teenager and had to deal with helping her mom care for a loved one. Both my daughter and myself grew in patience and persevered through this very difficult time. I learned a lot about POA (both financial and medical), the different stages of dementia, how to interact with someone with dementia and the different programs available to people with a debilitating disease.

Despite the challenges, I got to see a softer side of my mom I never got to see when I was growing up, as well as built relationships with family members that I had only been around but never really sat down and had a heart-to-heart conversation. From my maternal grandmother, I got the opportunity to learn some things about my mom that I never knew, which helped me to better understand and relate to her even though she was battling this disease. I cared for my mom up until her passing on November 16, 2012. It was extremely difficult to bear, but I knew she was in a better place. The same year she died was the very first time I had participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. She was and continues to be my motivation for walking, and I will continue to walk until I can’t anymore.

What duties do you have as an ACCR?
I am a community and Alzheimer’s representative at health & wellness fairs and other informational fairs. I share pamphlets about the disease as well as ways people can help support the fight for a cure. I also talk to people at these events and sometimes share my story after listening to theirs.

Why did you choose to become an ACCR?
I chose to become an AACR because I feel it is important to share more about this disease and let people know that the Alzheimer’s Association has people who have experienced similar situations or experiences and can relate. I feel it is important to get the information out about what the Alzheimer’s Association has to offer and how they can help families provide the best care for their loved ones as well as understand what their loved ones need or how to respond to them. I know from experience that the information isn’t readily available and many physicians are too quick to provide medication but not education.

Why do you think others should join the ACCR program?
I think others should join because it is a great way to serve the community and learn about the disease. It is also an opportunity to hear real experiences and learn about other things are happening in your community, as well as a great way to help caregivers and those battling the disease.

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AmazonSmile can help you support the fight against Alzheimer’s

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Optimum Senior Care Blog

AmazonSmile can help you support the fight against Alzheimer’s

AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices and shopping features as Amazon.com. When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice. To make it easier to support us, the Alzheimer’s Association is now listed as “Alzheimer’s Association-National.”

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Join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Planning Committee!

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Optimum Senior Care Blog

Join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Planning Committee!

Are you passionate about putting an end to Alzheimer’s disease? Do you want to get more involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s? Then we need you! In order to grow the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, we must continue to enlist and empower dedicated volunteers to help us extend our reach. To learn more about volunteering through our Walk Planning Committee, please visit our volunteer page!

The Alzheimer’s Association counts on volunteers to help fulfill our mission

In fiscal year 2016, 21,580 hours of service were contributed by 2,304 volunteers, all who regularly shared their time and talents serving in a variety of roles. The estimated dollar value for this volunteer time according to the Independent Sector is $508,424.80.

The Chapter provides opportunities for individuals, groups and businesses. We match volunteers’ interests and skills with available roles at each of our six offices. In some cases, volunteers are able to assist from the comfort of their home. Illinois Chapter volunteers assist with the Alzheimer’s Association Community Representative program (AACR), Advocacy, ALZ Stars, Bankers Life Forget Me Not Days, General Office, Helpline, Illinois Action Summit, Special Event/Day of Event, Special Events Committee, Support Group Facilitator, Veterans Advisory Committee, and our signature events Walk To End Alzheimer’s and The Longest Day.

SPECIAL Events Committee

What is the Walk Planning Committee?

The Walk Planning Committee is a primarily volunteer driven committee that is comprised of subcommittees who have a focus in areas like; Team Recruitment, Team Retention, Sponsorship, Marketing and Outreach, or Logistics.
The committee plans all year round from the kick-off to the wrap-up. Some committee members concentrate on growing the event, like recruiting new teams, covering the community in Walk materials, and securing sponsorships. Others focus on event production and find ways to enhance the event experience.

What we ask of you

Join the committee and choose a subcommittee that best fits your skills and interests
Attend the Volunteer Kickoff event in January to gain more information on each subcommittee, and volunteer expectations. Attend the Committee Orientation to receive training on the basics of Alzheimer’s disease, learn about Association programs and services, and receive an introduction to the Walk event model.
Participate in committee meetings

Meetings are held once a month and are one hour long

In addition to committee meetings, subcommittees will meet separately via in person or conference call typically once a month; however, may increase frequency during the summer as Walk approaches.

Ready to join the Planning Committee?
Complete a Volunteer Profile today and make sure to select Special Event Committee as your area of interest. You will be contacted by a member of our staff to discuss next steps.

CREATE a Volunteer Profile

INTERNSHIPS

The Chapter provides internship opportunities to students during the fall, winter, spring and summer semesters. All internships are unpaid temporary positions with an emphasis on on-the-job training and pre-determined set goals. Students must be enrolled in an accredited college/university that requires an internship as part of their academic requirements or provides coursework credit for related field work.

Internship
Information
Open Now: Public Policy/Advocacy Internship – Winter Semester

BECOME a Volunteer

In order to become a volunteer at the Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter, we request that volunteers create a profile. This will help to inform us of your volunteer interests and availability. At the Chapter, we strive to make your volunteer experience the most rewarding. If you have a specific skill or if you are bilingual, we will work with you to determine the best volunteer position within our organization. Please click the button below to complete your volunteer profile and learn more about each of our volunteer opportunities. We look forward to speaking with you in the near future.

CREATE a Volunteer Profile

About the Alzheimer’s Association | About this Site | Security & Privacy Policy | Copyrights & Reprints | Contact Us

Main Chapter Offices
8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60631
612 West Glen Avenue, Peoria, IL 61614
National Headquarters
Alzheimer’s Association National Office, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601
Alzheimer’s Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Copyright © 2012 Alzheimer’s Association^®. All rights reserved.

Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s
Formed in 1980, the Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

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Encourage safe and useful gifts for a person living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Optimum Senior Care Blog

Encourage safe and useful gifts for a person living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia

Some holiday gifts may be unusable or even dangerous to a person living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. If someone asks for gift ideas, suggest items the person needs or can easily enjoy, such as comfortable clothing, music, videos or photo albums.

The holidays are a time when family and friends often come together. But for families living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, the holidays can be challenging. Take a deep breath. With some planning and adjusted expectations, your celebrations can still be happy, memorable occasions.

Familiarize others with the situation

The holidays are full of emotions, so it can help to let guests know what to expect before they arrive.

If the person is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, relatives and friends might not notice any changes. But the person with dementia may have trouble following conversation or tend to repeat him- or herself. Family can help with communication by being patient, not interrupting or correcting, and giving the person time to finish his or her thoughts.

If the person is in the middle or late stages of Alzheimer’s, there may be significant changes in cognitive abilities since the last time an out-of-town friend or relative has visited. These changes can be hard to accept. Make sure visitors understand that changes in behavior and memory are caused by the disease and not the person.

You may find this easier to share changes in a letter or email that can be sent to multiple recipients. Here are some examples:

>> “I’m writing to let you know how things are going at our house. While we’re looking forward to your visit, we thought it might be helpful if you understood our current situation before you arrive.
>> “You may notice that ___ has changed since you last saw him/her. Among the changes you may notice are ___.
>> “Because ___ sometimes has problems remembering and thinking clearly, his/her behavior is a little unpredictable.
>> “Please understand that ___ may not remember who you are and may confuse you with someone else. Please don’t feel offended by this. He/she appreciates your being with us and so do I.”

For more ideas on how to let others know about changes in your loved one, join ALZConnected, our online support community where caregivers like you share tips on what has worked for them.

Adjust expectations

From our Blog

The Gift of Perspective
The stress of caregiving layered with holiday traditions can take a toll … read more.

Call a meeting to discuss upcoming plans.
The stress of caregiving responsibilities layered with holiday traditions can take a toll. Invite family and friends to a face-to-face meeting, or if geography is an obstacle, set up a telephone conference call. Make sure everyone understands your caregiving situation and has realistic expectations about what you can do. Be honest about any limitations or needs, such as keeping a daily routine.
Be good to yourself.
Give yourself permission to do only what you can reasonably manage. If you’ve always invited 15 to 20 people to your home, consider paring it down to a few guests for a simple meal. Let others contribute. Have a potluck dinner or ask them to host at their home. You also may want to consider breaking large gatherings up into smaller visits of two or three people at a time to keep the person with Alzheimer’s and yourself from getting overtired.
Do a variation on a theme.
If evening confusion and agitation are a problem, consider changing a holiday dinner into a holiday lunch or brunch. If you do keep the celebration at night, keep the room well-lit and try to avoid any known triggers.

Involve the person with dementia

Build on past traditions and memories.
Focus on activities that are meaningful to the person with dementia. Your family member may find comfort in singing old holiday songs or looking through old photo albums.
Involve the person in holiday preparation.
As the person’s abilities allow, invite him or her to help you prepare food, wrap packages, help decorate or set the table. This could be as simple as having the person measure an ingredient or hand decorations to you as you put them up. (Be careful with decoration choices. Blinking lights may confuse or scare a person with dementia, and decorations that look like food could be mistaken as edible.)
Maintain a normal routine.
Sticking to the person’s normal routine will help keep the holidays from becoming disruptive or confusing. Plan time for breaks and rest.

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Adapt gift giving

Reduce post-holiday stress.

Arrange for respite care so you can enjoy a movie or lunch with a friend.

Encourage safe and useful gifts for the person with dementia.
Diminishing capacity may make some gifts unusable or even dangerous to a person with dementia. If someone asks for gift ideas, suggest items the person with dementia needs or can easily enjoy. Ideas include: an identification bracelet (available through MedicAlert^® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return^®), comfortable clothing, audiotapes of favorite music, videos and photo albums.
Put respite care on your wish list.
If friends or family ask what you want for a gift, suggest a gift certificate or something that will help you take care of yourself as you care for your loved one. This could be a cleaning or household chore service, an offer to provide respite care, or something that provides you with a bit of rest and relaxation.