Coming Together for Alzheimer’s: Fat Little 5K

I always find it so inspiring when I hear about what someone is doing to try and help people living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Often these ideas come about over casual conversation with friends and family, and The Fat Little 5K is just such an idea.

Last year, Fat Little Buddies Tavern owner Joe O’Malley happened to be talking to a friend, Maureen Loesch. Joe’s father has Alzheimer’s and so does Maureen’s mother-in-law. They wanted to do something to help their loved ones and since Maureen is an avid runner, they came up with the idea for the bar to host a 5K race and donate the proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The first year of any race can be a bit stressful. You are never sure how many people will come to the race and how the logistics of actual race will work out-from advertising, registration, to post race goodie bags and events. However, last years first annual Fat Little 5K brought 250 runners and raised about $6,000!

What I love about this race is that it is truly community friendly, which you do not always find at events like this. Runners, young children, older adults, and people with dementia can all participate in some way. There is a 1 mile walk, a 5K run, tons of kids games (such as a bounce houses), food, and indoor seating in the bar where you can watch the after race events. Everyone is welcome at the race. This means we can create a truly inclusive community. Those who like to run for a good cause, caregivers, family, friends, and people with dementia.

Events like these show Mom and others with dementia and Alzheimer’s that the larger community does care about them. Not everyone who runs this race will know someone with dementia, but their participation is so valuable because it shows they care about the millions of people in our country who are affected by the disease, and they want to help.

This year, Joe hopes to get at least 700 people registered for the race. Our family will be there and we hope to see you there too!

Here is a link to the registration: Fat Little 5K Registration. Register online or show up and register on race day!

If you can’t come or don’t live in the Cleveland area, you can make a donation here: Fat Little 5K Donation Page.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie

A Powerful Video

from the Alzheimer's Association

I just quickly wanted to share this video with you all. I think it is quite powerful and shows the main facts and figures of Alzheimer's Disease. It makes me cry every time. Please share it with others so they know how this disease affects our nation.

Alzheimer's Facts and Figures video, by the Alzheimer's Association.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie

Looking For Help

When I look at the “Stats” for my blog, one of the statistics they give me is the keywords people have used which brought them to my website. I look at these keywords almost every day and it makes is clear to me that so many of us are looking for help.

You may be like me, up during the wee hours of the night, searching the web for answers. For help to understand whatever new things have popped up in your world of living with dementia.

I wanted to share some of those keywords with you, as a reminder that while dementia is different for every person and family, we still have so much in common. We are all looking for answers to things we might not always talk about during the day at work, at school, or at home, but we search for in the anonymity of the internet.

Maybe it is helpful for all of us to know we are not alone:

“refuses to read books or exercise dementia”
“what if a dementia person is in denial?”
“combination of dementia and Parkinsons”
“dementia getting worse”
“dementia patients don't know what day it is”
“dementia the long goodbye”
“Alzheimer’s grief”
“dementia activities”
“Lewy Body prognosis”

"Dad care for Mom"
“Alzheimer’s dementia abandonment family”

The most frequently used search terms that bring you here, besides the title of the blog, are:

“bradykinesia or slowness of”
“for mom she noticed”
“dementia calendar”
“dementia quote”

I hope we continue to build community and find ways to be there for each other in our search for help.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie

Never Prepared

No matter how much you know about dementia, I don't think you are ever prepared for how it progresses. I know the disease gets worse. I know there may be a day when my Mom does not know who I am. I know her ability to do everyday tasks is diminishing. Yet the changes of dementia catch me off guard every time.

The other day Mom called to me for help with something. I went into her bathroom and found her staring at the sink. She said "I don't know how to turn the water on."

That caught me by surprise. She had forgotten how to push the lever up to get water.

Every time something like that happens, a vision of the future goes through my head. I worry that one day when we are not home she will not be able to get a drink of water. I wonder what will be the next thing she can't remember how to do. Might she forget how to open the drawer? I know she has already been having a hard time with brushing her hair.

Equally confusing is the fact that this progression varies from day to day. She has not completely forgotten how to turn on the water, it happens sporadically.

Even though I am never quite prepared for these changes and it scares me when they happen, after the initial shock I am able to be in the moment. We can only deal with what is happening at the time, worrying about the future does not help.

At times like this I am grateful for the relationship we have and that Mom feels comfortable enough to ask for help when she needs it. And often she has a great sense of humor and laughs about things she can't remember or when she jumbles words together.

Who knows what will come next. I know I won't really be fully prepared for it, but I also know our family will work with what we have.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie

Win a Trip to a Live Taping of Iron Chef America!

Part of the annual dinner for the Cleveland Area Alzheimer's Association includes a raffle for a trip to New York City for a taping of Iron Chef America! Anyone, from anywhere can buy tickets and win, you do not have to live in Cleveland, but you do need to act quickly as advanced ticket sales end on Thursday April 21, 2011. Click on the link HERE.

Feed your Mind: A Celebration of Food

Limited number of raffle tickets will be sold!

$20 each or 6 for $100

A healthy dose of great food, fun, travel and once-in-a-lifetime experiences are essential for brain health! What better way to feed your mind, body and soul than A TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY FOR A LIVE TAPING OF IRON CHEF AMERICA!

The raffle winner and his/her guest will join the ranks of a select group who have been invited to an invitation-only, live taping of IRON CHEF AMERICA.

Based upon the Japanese cult sensation, Iron Chef America carries on the legend of the Kitchen Stadium and the famed "secret ingredient." Each week, world-class chefs battle the legendary Iron Chefs of America, including Cleveland’s own Michael Symon, Iron Chef 2007!

THIS RAFFLE PRIZE HAS IT ALL!

• Two seats for a LIVE taping of Iron Chef America
  at the Food Network Studios in New York City!
• $500 Continental Airlines gift certificate
• Two nights stay at The Franklin Hotel, one of the
  upper east side’s most romantic boutique hotels
• Gift certificate to NYC Restaurant for a
  delectable, chef-inspired meal!

Iron Chef America show will be shooting in
July 2011 (exact dates TBD).

Questions? Call Eleanor at (216) 231-1332.

Advance raffle ticket sales will close on
Thursday, April 21.

Tickets may also be purchased at the event.

Winning ticket to be drawn at
A Celebration of Hope on May 5, 2011.
Winner need not be present.

 

Our Task This Week

Photo by Jeff Norris

I had a great time this past Saturday being a panelist for "Taking on Alzheimer's: A National Conversation at Home" which was put on by the Daughters Club of the Alzheimer's Association Cleveland Chapter.  I will be writing much more about the wonderful event later.

However, I wanted to let you know that Angela Geiger, one of the editors of The Shriver Report and our moderator for the discussion, gave us all a task. A task that I want to pass on to you all as well.

Ms. Geiger asked us all to talk to five people this week about Alzheimer's disease. Five people who we have never talked with about Alzheimer's before. 

The best way to increase awareness and get the nation to respond to the Alzheimer's crisis is for all of us to talk about it.

So, let's all find five people this week and spread the message that together, we can end Alzheimer's disease.

Post in the comment section if you were able to talk to five people, then we can really show this task being put into action!

Blessings,

Rev. Katie

A Long Three Days

Photo by Jeff Norris

I think we have a long three days ahead of us. Dad just went out of town for a Buddhist retreat and Jeff, Jeffrey and I are taking care of Mom this weekend. Every time there is a change in routine, Mom gets worse, and this weekend is no different. Dad has only been gone for three hours and Mom has had quite a few challenges this morning, including opening up the upright washer as it was washing clothes so the whole washer full of water and soap spilled onto the floor.

I wish we could always keep things the same for Mom, but it is just not possible. We need to be able to sustain our lives as we care for Mom and sometimes that means the routine changes. Dad is gone and I am working most of the weekend, so most of the caregiving will fall to Jeff. Fortunately he is very calm and caring.

I am a bit scared though because Mom’s recent progression has made me start to worry about how we will still maintain our jobs and care for Mom at the same time without everything falling to Dad because he is retired. I can tell this wears on him and these past few weeks, with our other family member in the hospital, have been hard for him. I am really glad he is taking the time for his retreat this weekend.

It is getting to the point at times that if you leave Mom alone for just a few minutes, anything could happen, which makes it hard to even take a shower or work even though much of my and Jeff’s work can be done from our home offices.

We are in for a long three days, but clearly Mom’s progression shows we are in for many more long days ahead.

Blessings,

Rev. Katie