Alzheimer's Aid Society Happenings!     Supporting the caregiver.  Remembering the cared for.

• Golf Tournament - Register Your Foursome
• UC Davis 2017 Alzheimer's Lecture Series
• Info for Caregivers:  You Can't "Fix It"
• Upcoming Events
• What is "Happenings!"

The 14th Annual Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, September 15, 2017 at Teal Bend Golf Club.  A big "thank you" to our title sponsor, Atria Senior Living.  Get together with your friends and plan for a great day!  Register your foursome TODAY!!  Want your organization recognized at the Tournament?  See what sponsorships are available!  We will also include your logo on our website!!  Questions?  Call Max Perry at (916) 996-7202.

Initially when I began caring for Nan I was in a defensive mode, solving problems as they were thrown at me. I’d lie awake at night attempting to fix unfixable problems, searching for answers when none existed. I made lists, attacked daily problems with vigor, all the while feeling taxed and frustrated. And the sad truth was that despite my efforts, Nan continued to spiral further and further into oblivion. Neither of us was making progress. My initial plan wasn’t working.

"Through observation I had come to realize that Nan no longer lived in a world made up of days or even hours, but instead she lived inside spontaneous flashes of reality. In other words, she was living her life from moment to moment. As quickly as recognition arrived, it was gone again. I knew instinctively that although her understanding was temporary, these moments were not unimportant.

So I set about creating activities that would bridge the gap between the outside world and her awareness by focusing on instincts universal to us all – the beauty of nature, our six senses, the power of music, the love of family, and the balm of laughter. We sat outdoors, touched flowers and fed birds. We leafed through a clearly labeled family album I made for her. We sang hymns and listened to her favorite music. Occasionally we even danced together. (Yes, I found that a wheelchair can easily roll to jitterbug music.) We ate her favorite foods, painted her fingernails and scented her room. We prayed and talked about the many blessings in our lives. I constantly reminded her that she was a good and wonderful person who had led a splendid life. And as the disease progressed, we watched cartoons and took turns holding her dolly. Each day I tried to create little surprises that would ignite even the briefest moment of spontaneous happiness.

Soon I discovered that no happiness was too small or its effect too insignificant to affect positive change. For when she was content and at peace, the old Nan from long ago would suddenly appear out of nowhere in the guise of a familiar comment or facial expression. These moments became the encouragement that I needed to work harder to build a bridge of connection between us. Those moments reminded me of the woman I missed so terribly and proved to me that she was still in there, lost in dementia’s thick fog. I made it my mission to harness these moments and utilize their power in order to bring joy and meaning into her life.

Granted I wasn’t always successful. But slowly my small achievements began to build and it wasn’t long before our connection grew. I found that as my attitude relaxed and calmed, so did Nan’s. I learned that as a caregiver, I possessed the power to alter the tempo and undercurrent of our relationship. I could choose to inject hope and understanding into this heartbreaking situation. And since then, somehow amid all the confusion, we have been able to share surprising moments of unexpected joy and love."

Upcoming Events

• July 19, Wednesday, at 3:00 p.m. - Alzheimer's Café in the Sacramento Rosemont area at Golden Pond Senior Living, 3415 Mayhew Road, Sacramento. 
• July 20, Thursday, at 2:00 p.m. - Alzheimer's Café in Woodland at St. John's Retirement Village, 135 Woodland Avenue, Woodland.  Call (530) 662-1290 to confirm.
• July 20, Thursday, at 6:00 p.m. - UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease presents "Eating to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease" a lecture by Rosane Oliveira, PhD, UC Davis.  Please register online at Eventbrite.com or call 916-734-5728.
• September 15 - Annual Golf Tournament at Teal Bend Golf Course