Alzheimer’s took my father away from me at a very early age when I believe I needed him the most. It was devastating to my family in too many ways to count, but the constant watching of him slowly fade away from our daily existence was probably the most significant loss for all of us.
Alzheimer’s took my father away from me at a very early age when I believe I needed him the most. It was devastating to my family in too many ways to count, but the constant watching of him slowly fade away from our daily existence was probably the most significant loss for all of us.
My mother, strong and devoted, kept my father home as long as she was physically able and even then it was doctors that told her that she could no longer take care of him. This did not go well with her and she gave up the fight of her life to keep him home. This was in the late 70s and little was known about the disease, but my mother persistently found out as much as she could to help not only my father, but also others in our situation. She head started the very first Alzheimer’s support group in the state of Alabama.
This past year, County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dianne Jacob launched a massive program to help out the growing number of Alzheimer patients, their families and caregivers. And along with the rest of the Board, she recruited world-renowned researchers from UC San Diego, Scripps Research Institute, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the Salk Institute. So many doctors, philanthropists, experts and city and county officials are backing her up with this tremendous project, it makes my heart weep and jump for joy at the same time. This is long overdue and I am personally grateful for everyone that is giving their talents to help understand, cope with and hopefully one day cure this cataclysm disease.
Right now it is estimated that there are around 60,000 San Diegans living with Alzheimer’s and projections are grim as it is expected that by 2030 there will be well more than 100,000. In this county alone, it is the third leading cause of death.
Most of all, I am pleased with the aggressiveness of The Alzheimer’s Project, which is necessary to help combat such a violent and many times hostile disease. With a generous jump start by Darlene Shiley in the amount of $100,000, the Part of the Clouds fund drive is well on its way in its five-year, $7 million mission to help in neurological studies to help combat the disease. Donations are being taken through the Alzheimer’s Association’s website at alz.org/sandiego and these funds are locally grown to help those in our neighborhoods in the present and for the future.
It is far to often that we watch on television where a person with Alzheimer’s is lost and has wondered away, many times with dire results. With the initiative’s Take Me Home registry and the expanded use of GPS, I believe that many will benefit from this initiative.
Plans are to develop the regions first clinical standards for screening, diagnosis and management of this disease, headed by healthcare experts, professionals and the county’s Health and Human Services agency. And something that is extremely important is the education and training for those who are caring for those with Alzheimer’s.
There are so many in the county that joined this battle, and I wish I could name each and every one that is taking this problem head on. But know this, your acts are not going unnoticed.
It is my hope to continue to provide you with information as this project goes forward and makes the strides in our communities that I believe that it will. But for now, I want to give you all a most sincere “thank you for caring enough.”
My father passed away early in 1989. I was 30 at the time, but I was 20 when I lost him to the disease. I remember so much about it all, the pre-signs that we did not recognize, the last time he spoke to me and knew who I was and the tears as my family watched him dwindle away from our lives. Please help others who are going through this now so that our children and grandchildren might not have to go through it at all.
