Annual Report 2010 - Alzheimer's Association
Annual Report 2010 - Alzheimer's Association Annual Report 2010 - Alzheimer's Association
Profiles A Son’s Story – Calvin West “My name is Calvin West, and I am 63 years of age. I have been the full-time caregiver for my mother, Dorothy West, since March of 2005. Caring for her has been an ongoing and increasing process that eventually led to my decision to resign from the Kent School District and curtail my graduate studies. I often reflect on how the counsel and advice I received from the Alzheimer’s Association, along with the timely assistance of its support groups, forums, and conferences, have indeed helped to make my caregiving experience a special voyage of invaluable learning, hope, and inspiration. The availability of such resources is truly priceless, and these resources continue to better enable me to provide care and understanding with the patience and compassion what our mother deserves. I have been blessed by the free programs and services that the Alzheimer’s Association provides, and I believe the unfolding and spiritual journey my mother and I continue to experience exists in a living context of divine providence. I am also encouraged by every effort toward making it a national priority to find a cure for this disease. With increasing awareness, education, and the advancement of treatment for this debilitating disease, we can witness more than a turning of the tide on this increasing health crisis.” Support Group Facilitator, Educator – Barbara Bridges For over sixteen years, Barbara has been a dedicated volunteer support group facilitator. In addition to facilitating a bi-monthly caregiver support group, and after recognizing that some caregivers find it a challenge to access traditional support groups, Barbara piloted the Chapter’s first telephone support group that offers the benefits of a traditional faceto-face support group without the need to leave home. Not only a support group facilitator, since 1998 Barbara has led the Chapter’s facilitator training program, training more than five hundred volunteer facilitators. Barbara realizes the daunting task we face trying to keep pace with support for the ever growing number of families touched by dementia. Our challenge is to find enough volunteers to fill these roles. Barbara has been an exceptionally dedicated and inspirational volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association. On behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association we presented Barbara Bridges with the Morey Skaret Leadership Award in recognition of the many lives she has touched and continues to and those she’s helped to support. “There is nothing as lonely as fixing three meals a day for someone who can no longer talk to you. My support group taught me to grieve for my losses, and then allow myself to dream new dreams.” – Lloyd, family caregiver 8 2010 Annual Report
The Larkin Family With a thriving medical practice and two sons in college, at age 56 Dr. Larkin closed his practice following his diagnosis in 2006 of younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Happily married to his high school sweetheart, Beth, with what he considered to be the best years ahead of him, Hugh was one of the estimated half million people in the United States who have been struck with Alzheimer’s in their 50s, 40s, even 30s (Hugh Larkin, MD, passed away in January 2011, surrounded by his family). In the midst of these challenges, the Larkin family has given generously of their time and talent. In 2007, Hugh participated in a panel entitled “In Our Own Words: Early Stage/ Early Onset Panel” at our annual conference, where Hugh and others shared their experiences, challenges and needs, in their own words, as persons with dementia. Beth and son Max have both been instrumental in the success of Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day, meeting with legislators, telling their family’s story. Beth, along with Max and her other son Dillon, cared for Hugh at home as long as possible. When Hugh transition to a supportive living home, the family, including Hugh’s siblings and their families, made visiting a priority, energizing their time together with music, part of the family’s passion. The family benefitted from our Connections care consultation program and utilized the services to help educate themselves and other family members on planning and preparing for what was ahead. Beth regularly attended a support group specific to those who have a loved one with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. Max and a close friend, Emily, started a non-profit called Mind Series and have been working on a documentary film, capturing the stories of other children of younger-onset dementia. Max has composed and performed music as part of the documentary’s soundtrack. They also produced an emotional video for our “A Reason to Hope” Community Breakfast. Hugh’s big personality and love for life lives on in his family and in their ability to meet life’s challenges creatively and with spirit, sharing their story with the world, giving other Alzheimer’s families a voice. Here at the Chapter, we are proud to be a part of their family. 2010 Annual Report 9
- Page 1 and 2: Western and Central Washington Stat
- Page 3 and 4: Executive Director and Board Presid
- Page 5 and 6: An Introduction Those of us who are
- Page 8 and 9: Early Stage Memory Loss Program An
- Page 12 and 13: Advocate - Collin Tong When news of
- Page 14 and 15: Donors 12 $1,000 & Above Dick Abbey
- Page 16 and 17: 14 Sonia Cook Kathryn Cook Johanna
- Page 18 and 19: 16 Mike Richardson Robin Richardson
- Page 20 and 21: 18 Sarah Everett Carol Ewens James
- Page 22 and 23: 20 Frank & Sandy Ruffo Louise & Jay
- Page 24: Alzheimer’s Association Western &
The Larkin Family<br />
With a thriving medical practice and two<br />
sons in college, at age 56 Dr. Larkin closed<br />
his practice following his diagnosis in 2006<br />
of younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Happily<br />
married to his high school sweetheart,<br />
Beth, with what he considered to be the<br />
best years ahead of him, Hugh was one<br />
of the estimated half million people in the<br />
United States who have been struck with<br />
Alzheimer’s in their 50s, 40s, even 30s (Hugh<br />
Larkin, MD, passed away in January 2011,<br />
surrounded by his family).<br />
In the midst of these challenges, the Larkin<br />
family has given generously of their time and<br />
talent. In 2007, Hugh participated in a panel<br />
entitled “In Our Own Words: Early Stage/<br />
Early Onset Panel” at our annual conference,<br />
where Hugh and others shared their<br />
experiences, challenges and needs, in their<br />
own words, as persons with dementia.<br />
Beth and son Max have both been<br />
instrumental in the success of Alzheimer’s<br />
Advocacy Day, meeting with legislators,<br />
telling their family’s story.<br />
Beth, along with Max and her other son<br />
Dillon, cared for Hugh at home as long<br />
as possible. When Hugh transition to a<br />
supportive living home, the family, including<br />
Hugh’s siblings and their families, made<br />
visiting a priority, energizing their time<br />
together with music, part of the family’s<br />
passion.<br />
The family benefitted from our Connections<br />
care consultation program and utilized the<br />
services to help educate themselves and<br />
other family members on planning and<br />
preparing for what was ahead. Beth regularly<br />
attended a support group specific to those<br />
who have a loved one with younger-onset<br />
Alzheimer’s.<br />
Max and a close friend, Emily, started a<br />
non-profit called Mind Series and have<br />
been working on a documentary film,<br />
capturing the stories of other children<br />
of younger-onset dementia. Max has<br />
composed and performed music as part of<br />
the documentary’s soundtrack. They also<br />
produced an emotional video for our “A<br />
Reason to Hope” Community Breakfast.<br />
Hugh’s big personality and love for life lives<br />
on in his family and in their ability to meet<br />
life’s challenges creatively and with spirit,<br />
sharing their story with the world, giving<br />
other Alzheimer’s families a voice. Here at<br />
the Chapter, we are proud to be a part of<br />
their family.<br />
<strong>2010</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 9
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