Longest Day Events Planned For June 17 And 18 By Alzheimers Association Iowa Chapter
– The summer solstice is June 20 and there are important events being organized in eastern Iowa to draw the community’s attention to ‘The Longest Day’ for the Alzheimer’s Association.
“The Longest Day is celebrated during the summer solstice and the day with the most light is the day we fight,” said Briget Meyer, Development Specialist and Walk Manager for the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter. “The Alzheimer’s Association uses this day to increase awareness for the 66,000 Iowans living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia.”
Meyer adds a 16% increase has been seen in Alzheimer’s diagnoses since the pandemic began. So, this year, the events are especially important in raising funds and drawing awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.
On Thursday, June 17, from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m., the city of Grundy Center will be hosting a ‘The Longest Day’ event. This will feature the town’s care centers and assisted living communities. There will be vendors, farmers markets, music, a car show and a movie in the park.
On Friday, June 18 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. there will be a parking lot party in the College Square parking lot in Cedar Falls. This event will have games, vendors, a police car, a fire truck and more.
The community is greatly encouraged to attend one or both events.
Keep up with all events by following the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter’s Facebook page: .
The Longest Day: A Local Fight To End Alzheimer’s
Stuart McLeod with Charlene Bemis, development director of special events with the Alzheimers Association, holding freshly canned Longest Day Lagers.
In 2017, Stuart McLeod planned an event to honor his sister Sara, who had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers disease in 2010. Five years and a quarter of a million dollars later, family, friends and locals come together every summer to bike, kayak and celebrate their loved ones who have been touched by Alzheimers.
The event is called The Washburn Challenge and is part of the Alzheimers Associations Longest Day, a do-it-yourself fundraiser. It starts out with a leisurely bike ride along the Shining Sea Bikeway from North Falmouth to Woods Hole. After a break for lunch, participants head back to Mr. McLeods home at the head of Waquoit Bay. From there, they launch dozens of kayaks and paddle the six miles around Washburn Island together.
The entire day is topped off with a celebration featuring a barbecue, live music from the Cape Cod band Origin, an Alzheimers Shucks oyster station, courtesy of Island Creek Oysters, and a special Longest Day-branded beer from Moby Dick Brewery in New Bedford.
In 2019, we launched 100 kayakers on Waquoit Bay, Mr. McLeod said. People were like, whats happening here?
For Mr. McLeod, the most rewarding part of the entire event is bringing together people who have been affected by the disease and share his mission of raising awareness.
Fight To End Alzheimers On The Longest Day
More than 6 million Americans, including 410,000 in New York have Alzheimers disease.
The longest day of the year is June 20th which is also known as the summer solstice. Its the day with the most sunlight and the Alzheimers Association invites you to take part in their The Longest Day fundraiser. The event honors caregivers who dedicate themselves 24 hours a day to their patients.
Whether youre participating at home, online, or in-person, there are various events planned to engage family and friends during The Longest Day. Even if you cannot attend the event this month, the Alzheimers Association will be having events through the end of August.
To learn more about this years event and the central New York Alzheimers association chapter, visit ALZ.org/CNY.
Don’t Miss: Are Jigsaw Puzzles Good For Dementia
Alzheimers Disease & The Longest Day Campaign
Alzheimers disease, a form of dementia, is one of the most common conditions in the world. If you are someone caring for one of the 50 million people living with dementia and more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimers disease, it is vital to understand the disease and how to provide support.
What are the signs of Alzheimers disease?
Dementia is a broad condition that involves the overall decline of mental abilities, especially memory. Dementia also leads to unusual behavior and trouble with reasoning and communication. Alzheimers disease is the most common type of dementia.
Memory loss, forgetting dates or payments
Difficulty in planning or completing tasks, even day-to-day ones
Determining time, places, or names
Trouble with visuals or conversations
Experiencing mood swings like anger, frustration, anxiety, etc.
Misplacing or losing items
Difficulty in judgments or making decisions
How is Alzheimers disease diagnosed?
If your loved one is experiencing any of the symptoms above, you should contact your healthcare provider. Many of these signs may be conditions of aging like memory loss, vision loss, or experiencing mood changes. However, your healthcare provider may refer you to a doctor who specializes in Alzheimers for a full diagnosis.
The symptoms of Alzheimers disease will not necessarily show up together. Your healthcare provider will perform a neurological exam and imaging of your brain for a complete diagnosis.
Early-stage caregiving
The Alzheimer’s Association Has Designated June 21 As A Day To Honor Both Patients And Caregivers Who Struggle With The Disease
This June, Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month is bringing attention to the need for more education, support, and research for , which affects an estimated 5.2 million people across the country. At least 44 million people worldwide are living with , and that figure is expected to grow to 76 million by 2030, according to a 2014 report from the Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating progressive condition that causes those affected to lose their memory and reasoning skills and threatens their ability to communicate, recognize family, and care for themselves.
Many adults with dementia and other neurologic conditions rely on help from unpaid caregivers, usually family members, other relatives, or friends. In 2013, more than 15 million such caregivers provided an estimated 17.7 billion hours of care to people with AD and other forms of dementia across the country, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. They are our unsung heroes, providing around-the-clock care, or, if they’re lucky, working in teams so they can continue to be employed in order to pay the bills. But that won’t come as a surprise to many of you, our readers, who generously serve in these roles.
In this issue of Neurology Now, we devote our column to strategies that can assist you in defusing these emotional outbursts. We hope these strategies will help you de-escalate combative conversations and that you can add them to your arsenal of coping tips.
By signing up, you agree to our and .
Also Check: Can Cause Sores Rashes Dementia Or Blindness
How To Raise Awareness For Alzheimers
More than five and a half million people in the United States are estimated to be living with Alzheimers, and with that number expected to triple by 2050, it is paramount to increase awareness now.
In an effort to bring more recognition to the disease, The Alzheimers Association chose the summer solstice the longest day of the year to be the day of a sunrise-to-sunset relay event to support those facing the disease.
On their website, the Alzheimers Association says the purpose of the Longest Day is to:
Come together to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those facing Alzheimers with a day of activity.
Help End Alzheimers On The Longest Day
More than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimers. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimers and other dementias can drain assets, destroy retirement plans, and put a huge strain on families. Currently there are only treatments for symptoms, but no way to stop or slow progression of the disease itself. On The Longest Day join the Alzheimers Association in their fight to end Alzheimers.
Also Check: What Color Ribbon Is For Alzheimer Disease
How To Honor Loved Ones With Alzheimers
Alzheimers is often referred to as the long goodbye because of its slow nature and lasting emotional and physical drain. The poem, The Long Goodbye, written by Ellen Miller about the disease conveys its lingering pain:
Its been a long time since we first felt the beginning to this end.
And today we pray before you your family and your friends.
Weve watched your thoughts get more obscure with every passing day
As this heartless thing called Alzheimers made them fade away.
Gradually it took the gleam from those once so loving eyes.
To befall on such a giving manit seemed so unjustified.
Stripping you of everything, leaving nothing in its place
Except a look of sadness left upon your face.
As long as we have searched, through all the tears weve cried
Weve tried to find the reason for this long good-bye.
But now its time to take back all your memories
As you are finally free from this cruel disease.
We pledge to remember the man that you once were
A good-hearted, giving man is all that will be heard.
And every night when we look up and see a certain star
We will know within our hearts exactly where you are.
So on this day, we say good-bye as you now depart.
Although far from our touch, never far from our hearts.
In honor of people fighting the disease and those that love them, the Alzheimers Association hosts a series of events every year on the longest day of the year the summer solstice.
The Longest Day Brings Awareness To Alzheimers Disease
Many organizations, such as the National Institute of Health and Alzheimers Association are committed to the global effort of finding a cure for Alzheimers disease. Since 1983, the number of Americans with the disease has more than doubled. In the United States, the statistics on Alzheimers disease and the effects it has on families can be overwhelming:
- Nearly 5.4 million people have Alzheimers disease.
- 6th leading cause of death.
- Affects 1 of every 3 seniors over the age of 65.
- Annual health care costs are estimated at $236 billion.
15.9 million family members and friends provided 18.1 billion hours of unpaid care.
Frequently, people associate dementia with aging, but it is not a part of the normal aging process. Dementia has a very broad definition that pertains to chronic memory loss, changes in personality and the ability to thinkall severe enough to affect daily activities. There are many causes of dementia, such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, and injuries or trauma to the brain. Alzheimers disease is another cause of dementia.
Unfortunately, medications like Aricept cause more systemic side effects when taken at higher doses, because the medication spreads throughout the body, explained Dr. Maw. Currently, there are medications being tested that enhance the effects of these cholinesterase inhibitors. These newer drugs could potentially minimize the side effects and allow for higher doses of medication to target the brain.
Read Also: Terry Semel Alzheimer’s
How You Can Participate
The Longest Day is all about love: love for those affected by Alzheimers disease. Select any activity you love or honor those affected by choosing something they loved to help raise Alzheimers awareness. Together, with others across the nation, we can raise funds and create awareness for care and support while advancing dementia research.
Some examples from Longest Day participants include:
- Dancing
- Performing songs, poetry, or music
- Cycling
The Longest Day By The Alzheimer’s Association
We’re proudly supporting The Longest Day by the Alzheimer’s Association during the month of June.
Help us reach our goal of becoming a Solstice Champion by raising $1600 to support The Longest Day!
This June, stand up to the darkness of Alzheimer’s. Join our team for The Longest Day, the day the Alzheimer’s Association calls on everyone to fight Alzheimer’s disease. Together, we’ll raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.
For every new or used vehicle sold June 1st – 30th, customers will have the option to donate $200 to this cause, and Acura of Honolulu will add $100 for $300 total impact! Contact us for more details.
Want to donate without purchasing a vehicle? Just click the button below!
- Contact our Sales Department at:808-800-4339
- Monday8:30am – 8:00pm
Read Also: What Color Ribbon Is Alzheimer’s
The 2021 Edition Of The Alzheimers Associations The Longest Day A Statewide And Nationwide Fund Raising Event Aimed At Raising Awareness And Funds By Doing Something Residents Love With The Proceeds Going To Alzheimers Research And Education At The Same Time
Alzheimers Association organizers say the fundraiser can be anything from hosting a charity night at a local restaurant, to a bake sale, to a marathon bridge, bowling or video game to cycling with friends and family.
The Longest Day is a fun way for people to get involved in the fight to end Alzheimers by involving their business, friends and family, says Michael Tipton, Constituent Events Manager with the West Texas chapter of the Alzheimers Association. All proceeds provide local West Texas care and support, as well as critically needed global research.
Tipton adds, On The Longest Day, how you raise funds is up to you!
The Longest Day culminates on June 20, the summer solstice, the day with the most light. However, Longest Day events leading up to June 20 are already underway.
Tipton shares that that the need for support is greater than ever.
There are over 400,000 Texans currently living with Alzheimers or some other form of dementia, with over one million caregivers watching over them, says Tipton. The chances are very good that you or someone you know has been affected by this disease in one way or another.
What Is The Longest Day
The Longest Day is a fundraising event organized by the Alzheimers Association. This year it falls on June 20 summer solstice – and the day with the most light. They chose this day because the fight against Alzheimers is a fight against darkness. Every day caring for someone with the disease can feel like the longest day. And every day experiencing Alzheimers probably seems like the longest day as well. The slogan for this years event is, The day with the most light is the day we fight.
“The day with the most light is the day we fight.”
Also Check: Alzheimer Awareness Ribbon Color
The Longest Day: Raising Awareness For Alzheimers
Alzheimers is a road for which the majority of people dont have a road map, says Dr. Upinder Singh, a geriatrician at HCA Healthcares Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Most of the time people are seeing it for the first time. They dont know how to handle it.
This statement could not ring more true for caregivers who are coping with a loved ones cognitive decline. Alzheimers, which affects 5.5 to 6 million people in America, is aptly called a family disease, and to most, the long goodbye.
Still, there should be no stigma or taboo attached to this condition, says Dr. Singh. The person who has Alzheimers, it is not their fault. They are not being mean or leaving the water running or disrobing on purpose, he explains. Their mind is not telling them what is right or wrong anymore, and we cannot change them.
The Las Vegas physician says that most people spend their time trying to change the person with Alzheimers, rather than adjusting to the needs of their loved one suffering from the disease.
In a video that went viral earlier this month, Christine Stone sets a good example after capturing her Alzheimers-stricken mothers reaction over and over again to the news that she was having a baby.
Like Christine, HCA Healthcare Today, with the help of Dr. Singh, hope to raise awareness for Alzheimers and answer questions caregivers and others might have about the disease. Here are the key takeaway messages from Dr. Singh.
Fight The Darkness Of Alzheimer’s On The Longest Day Of The Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. The Alzheimer’s Association’s ‘The Longest Day’ is almost here! On June 21 you can raise funds to fight Alzheimer’s thought a fundraising activity of your choice. June 21 is the summer solstice and the day with the most light, and on this day you can fight the darkness of this disease.
You can participate at home, online or in person given you follow CDC guidelines. There are so many options when it comes to fundraising. You can chose anything from the categories of exercise, sports, games, events, hobbies and arts! For more information go online to alz.org/TheLongestDay. There you can find the current top fundraisers, ideas for your own fundraiser and more.
In Other News
You May Like: Senility Vs Dementia
Ways To Participate In The Longest Day
Choosing an activity that you love is the best way to participate in the Longest Day.
It can be a craft night, a community run, a day at the beach or a wine tasting anything that you want to do with a group of people. Invite your family and friends and start fundraising!
Ask people for donations and then plan your day and send the funds raised to the Alzheimers Association. To raise awareness, show your event on social media using the hashtags #ENDALZ and #TheLongestDay.
Every dollar raised will benefit people living with Alzheimers in your community. The Alzheimers Association will use the money raised to provide care and support for people facing Alzheimers through their free helpline, in-person support groups and online forums, or donate it to research and scientific proposals.
How will you and your family raise Alzheimers awareness and funds on the Longest Day? Share your plans with us in the comments below.
Related Articles:
Vin Bin To Observe The Longest Day For Alzheimers
The Vin Bin in Marlborough, at the main location at 91 Main Street in the old Marlborough Fire Station, will be hosting their second annual Longest Day event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 21 in their Café. Julie Lombardi, who owns the business with her husband Rick, is a geriatric nurse who has had plenty of experience in dealing with dementia and Alzheimers in her patients, but she has also had to deal with it firsthand. Lombardis mother passed from Alzheimers and her father, 92, is currently exhibiting symptoms.
The Vin Bin will commemorate the day in a variety of ways, Lombardi said.
We will cover the tables in purple tablecloths and have purple balloons. I am always surprised when people see all the purple and have to ask what it stands for, which tells me that we really have to do a better job of promoting awareness of this horrible disease, she said.
Our son, Michael, the Vin Bin Chef, will be featuring his new purple donuts in the Donut Shop Pop-up. He has perfected his new recipe and is excited be able to showcase them at the event. There will be a discounted offering for senior citizens 65 and older, and a donation jar to collect for the Alzheimers Association. We are hoping for a good turnout, especially from our local senior citizens. But everyone is invited! she added.
- TAGS
Don’t Miss: Does Smelling Farts Help Prevent Dementia