Before this disease, Mom was a beautiful, strong and faithful woman with incredible intelligence and always so well put together. She was talented, creative, a great seamstress and baker. We had no idea when we started this journey that even lifetime skills and basic activities of daily living would be hard or not even doable with Alzheimer’s disease. Continue reading Memories of Mom: The Longest Day
Catherine Harrison grew up in the small town of St. Helens, OR with her parents and older sister. They had a view of Mount St. Helens from the picture window in their living room. This year for The Longest Day, Catherine will be hiking Mount St. Helens in honor of her mother. Continue reading Mount St. Helens for Mom: The Longest Day
My mom’s dementia progressed and it was given the name Alzheimer’s. I saw this horrific disease steal my beautiful mom from me. I wrote these poems to help express my profound sadness during this season of life with my mom. Continue reading Through a Daughter’s Eyes: A Collection of Poems
We are excited to introduce Kerry Price-Duffy and Kristin Frossmo as Co-Chairs for the 2021 Pacific Northwest Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Seattle.They bring invaluable experience to their new volunteer roles leading the Walk Planning Committee. They have joined the fight against Alzheimer’s in honor of their parents. Continue reading Twin Sisters Join Forces in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s
Each year at our annual Discovery conference, we recognize volunteers and community partners who have made an incredible impact on our work. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients, highlighted below. Continue reading Congratulations To Our 2021 Award Recipients
Caregivers are supporting elders who have experiences shaped by their cultural values and practices, family traditions and the lessons and wisdom of their own elders; they share their lessons, words of wisdom and experiences with their children whispered in their native language, through the foods they serve and the views of life through religious and spiritual traditions. Continue reading Cultural Barriers to Care
When their bodies or minds (or both) leave them unable to keep up with the tasks of living, and it becomes our duty to take up the tasks for them. We put our plans, ideas, hopes and futures on hold and our worlds begin to spin on the axis of someone else’s needs. Continue reading The messy nobility of being a caretaker
I recorded an audiobook version of “Her Beautiful Brain,” my 2014 memoir about my mother, who died at 74 after nearly two decades of living with Alzheimer’s disease. Continue reading Giving Voice to Alzheimer’s: The Longest Day
The holidays are often a joyous time, but they can also be overwhelming, especially for families affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic adds new challenges, especially for older adults who may have underlying health conditions and are at the greatest risk of complications due to the novel coronavirus. Continue reading Navigating dementia and COVID-19 this holiday season
Every day I deliver a tray of iced coffee with cream on the side to my 54-year-old daughter, Lynne, who is living with Alzheimer’s dementia — and who is now isolated to her apartment in assisted living. Continue reading Caring for the Gaps During My Daughter’s COVID-19 Isolation
