It's time again for another post from our volunteer blogger!

AN OCTOBER DAY

I’m sitting outside on our patio. No TV. No radio. Very quiet and serene and I’m in the shade. We had an aluminum roof put over the cement patio. The roof is about 20’ wide and about 40’ long and it provides a lot of cover. Because it is on the north side of the house we do not get a lot of direct sunlight on the patio. A cool breeze just came by. Felt great!!!!

I’m sitting at a round table on the patio. We hung a 4’ by 8’ lattice screen at the far end of the patio. The wind goes through the openings but it also gives the effect of being enclosed.

I can hear the songs of the many birds in the trees. I do not recognize the birds I hear, but I do enjoy their chirp, chirp, chat, chat. It’s sort of peaceful out here. Not many cars on the street. School busses leave Tara High at about 2:30 each school day and I can tell time by the school busses leaving the Tara parking lot.

A big live oak tree shades the patio. It made it through the storm, but lost many branches. We took all the broken branches and piled them at our curb. Our neighbors have done likewise. Our street looks like a log jam with very heavy logs on both sides of the street. Probably like your neighborhood also. Two large trees fell on our neighbor’s house a few streets over. Looking at the house from the street, it looks as if it has three sections to it and gives you an eerie feeling. Of course, no one lives there now.

What a great loss! And our loss was minor. Thank God!

Jean is bringing lunch to me! She is so sweet and thoughtful. I love her and rely on her for so much.

Well, I see lunch coming through the gate. It’s time to quit and chat with my sweetie for awhile.

Bye for now!

This blog was written by a person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He’ll be 90 in ’09.

Alzheimer's Stamp

October 17, 2008 -

The Alzheimer's Awareness stamp is now available to purchase in US Postal Offices.

The Stress of Caregiving

One of our staff members found this great article on the stress of caregiving on CNN.com. Check it out.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/10/09/lw.elder.care.stresses.marriage/index.html

Address to U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

A man with Early Onset Alzheimer's disease addresses the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Check it out.

http://aging.senate.gov/events/hr194cj.pdf

A Personal Experience

The following contribution was made by an LSU Service Learning Student.

My experience with Alzheimer’s is a personal one. I can remember as a young girl growing up, my grandfather’s aunt from New Orleans would come down for the weekend. She would be fine one minute and the next she’s dressed for church with just a hat on and nothing else. I couldn’t put a name to this behavior back then, but now I realize that this disease is prevalent in my family.

Today, my grandfather and one of his sisters are both struggling with this disease, one in more advanced stage than the other. After the death of my grandmother last year, my grandfather became really depressed, and as a result is in a nursing facility because living in a house where you shared so many memories with the person you love for 60+ years was too much for him.

Experience #1- Who knew that you had to be destitute in order to receive Federal assistance for nursing care? My family didn’t. Since his doctor recommended him to a facility it was covered under health insurance, but that came to an end. He has private health insurance and Medicare, but a nursing facility is not covered. Therefore, his savings had to be used to cover costs.

Experience#2 – Why is there a 6 month waiting list for in-home caregivers if you are not covered by Medicaid?
My mom and aunt both tried sitting with my grandfather for months, but found that it was too hard on them because he is a fairly big man who is in wheelchair. It was hard for them deciding to put him in a nursing facility, but there was no other choice since he was put on a waiting list to have someone come into the house and care for him during the day. If he would have had Medicaid it would not have been a problem, there is no waiting list.

It is amazing how if a family member wants to take care of a loved one at some point it may become too difficult for one person alone, and the option of having someone come into the home and assist is not available. Again, from my personal experience my grandfather has worked all his life to provide for his family, help in the community, and have a nest egg. Only to have his family feel that they are not able to provide for him when he needs it, he is not able to remain in the community for which he is highly looked upon, and his nest egg is gone because of nursing home expenses.

Being a service learning student at LSU and volunteering at Alzheimer’s Services has really been a positive experience. It is good to know that there are people that genuinely care about people who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s Services is the perfect place to start for someone who has a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s because they have made it simple by having resources regarding this disease readily available. My experience at Charlie’s Place was more than I would have ever expected. The staff and volunteers that were assisting the “Charlie’s” on yesterday did not treat them as though they have Alzheimer’s. Everyone was having such a good time singing, and making crafts that it felt like a “social event.” If I know of anyone who has a loved one that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s I will not hesitate to direct them to Alzheimer’s Services.



Belinda N. Doyle
LSU Service Learning Student

A Glimpse of Charlie's Place

First Experience of Charlie’s Place

I am a student at Louisiana State University and am currently enrolled in Social Work 3011 course. Honestly, I had no idea what the class was going to be like; I had a friend in the class who knew I needed one more elective this semester so he suggested this course to me, and I accepted. When going to class, I realized what this class was all about. It was not like any of my other classes at LSU; this course seemed much more “hands on” rather than textbooks and calculators. During my first class, I learned much about Charlie’s Place Respite Center. Basically Charlie’s Place is a “home away from home” for Alzheimer’s patients during the day. I had never heard of Charlie’s Place, nor have I ever heard of any place like it but was very interested in learning more about the program.
Today (1 October 2008) is my first visit to Charlie’s Place, and I am just finishing up a tour of the place. Earlier I referred to the place as a home away from home, and I say that with great reason. When you walk into the front door you already feel at home. You enter the living room that is set up just like an average household. It has cozy couches, comfortable rocking chairs, a table filled with magazines and books, a piano, a checkers table along with a table always occupied with a puzzle, which is amazing for people with Alzheimer's. The kitchen is filled with many dinner tables set with real china, and the whole room looks out into the beautiful backyard. The backyard is filled with gardens with all types of vegetables growing inside accompanied with a soothing fountain in the middle of the yard. It has a brand new BBQ pit with seating everywhere to enjoy the beautiful days like today. Getting my tour for the first time, I was unsure how it would turn out, but when the tour was finished I was amazed on how “homey” the place really is.

- Ryan Duncan, LSU Service Learning Student

ME.....ALZHEIMER'S? NO WAY!

We would like to announce that we have a new addition to our volunteer program. The following is the second contribution made to our blog by our volunteer. The man who wrote this blog is facing Alzheimer's disease after being diagnosed in August of 2007. He and his wife attend our education programs and are looking forward to becoming more involved with Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area. Our volunteer will be 90 years old next year, and we are very thankful to him for offering such wonderful words of encouragement. You can look forward to many more of his blogs.

Last year, in August 2007, an internist, Dr. R and a neurologist, Dr. M confirmed the fact that I should be treated as a patient having a mild case of Alzheimer's disease. Their diagnosis floored me. I was not in agreement with their diagnosis. Members of my immediate family responded in the same manner. Very strongly. They said, "We've known you all these years and now you have Alzheimer's? Unbelievable. Look back on your years with Equitable Life Insurance Company. You started out in the office of a small Equitable agency in Nashville. Some 28 years later you retired from the Equitable office in New York City as Director of Professional Development. Think of all the advances you've made up the corporate ladder." My family said the doctors were wrong. And I agreed.


Now, more than a year later, the minds of the doubters may have changed. So has my outlook about Alzheimer's. In the morning, and sometimes during the day, I have to ask my wife, Jean, "What day is today?" So, I made a calendar showing each day of the week on a separate page to help remind me what day it is. But I forget to change it from day to day. For example, I just looked up at my home made calendar and it tells me today is Wednesday! Wrong! Today is Monday. I'll ask Jean to remind me to change the days of the week on my calendar. (Me ... Alzheimer's ... No Way).

We have a large monthly calendar in the hall near the phone. I will, or Jean will, write what commitments we have each day. But sometimes I forget to write down my commitments. For example, I go to the dentist every three months for teeth cleaning. When I leave, the receptionist hands me a card with the date for my next cleaning. Today, the phone rang and the dentist office reminded me that I have an appointment tomorrow at 1:30. Know what? I forgot to put the new appointment on my calendar three months ago. When I looked at the calendar this morning, I thought we had a free day tomorrow, but alas the phone call brought news of the dental appointment. (Me ... Alzheimer's ... No Way).


The office staff at Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area asked me to write a summary about the September Lunch 'N Learn session. It was published on their blog. Evidently, it met with success and rave reviews because many of the Alzheimer's staff congratulated me on writing the article. Those comments made me feel great! Perhaps I can be used by Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area to write articles for them. I'd like to do that. The articles might encourage someone who (like me) has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. We are not cripples. We just have a disease that has been labeled as "Alzheimer's." Doctors say we really can not tell for sure we have Alzheimer's. The only certain way is to perform an autopsy...after death. At 89, I'm not ready for that test.

So having the label of Alzheimer's may not mean we really have it. Only an autopsy at death will tell. It will be too late for me to know, because I'll be up there above the clouds with all my family and friends who have preceded me.


So why worry? I don't know for sure that I have Alzheimer's! But the doctors think I do. So who is right? I am having a great time right now and that is all that matters. I prefer to think its old age and so does my family! Who is right? Both? Wait and see!

This blog was written by a person who has been diagnosed with a mild case of AD. He will be 90 in '09.