The Longest Day

 

Did you know that two-thirds of those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s are women?

I was one of those two-thirds, my story begins when mom started doing things behind just forgetting where she placed her keys. She would put the cheerios in the freezer and the frozen veggies in the pantry. She would get lost coming home from the grocery store, something she did every week.

We decided to take her to the doctor to see what was going on, although we knew. Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

I became her primary caregiver and it was hard to see someone you love, someone who was so strong and so smart that she did her crossword puzzles in pen, slip away.  Our rolls reversed, I became the mother and she the daughter.

I found out about the Alzheimer’s Association and the wonderful work they do to not only help with support for caregivers but they also educate the public about Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

I became a volunteer first with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and now I volunteer for the Longest Day by serving on The Longest Day Marketing and Outreach committee.

The summer solstice, June 21, this is the day with the most light. A day that people from across the world will fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s by letting their light shine. I shine my light for mom.

This year I am hiking in honor of mom. She loved being outside and working outside.