Summer Solstice & Alzheimer’s Awareness

Today is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. As we celebrate the summer solstice and the year’s longest day of sunshine, many people also are coming together to participate in the Alzheimer’s Association’s “The Longest Day” event. The purpose of the “The Longest Day” is to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. From sunrise to sunset, people of all ages will be engaging in physical activity—such as walking, cooking, meditating and dancing—to honor those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. 💜💜💜

Alzheimer’s is often referred to as “the long goodbye” because of its slow nature and lasting emotional and physical drain. The poem, “The Long Goodbye,” written by Ellen Miller about the disease conveys its lingering pain:

“It’s been a long time since we first felt the beginning to this end.

And today we pray before you; your family and your friends.

We’ve watched your thoughts get more obscure with every passing day;

As this heartless thing called Alzheimer’s made them fade away.

Gradually it took the gleam from those once so loving eyes.

To befall on such a giving man…it seemed so unjustified.

Stripping you of everything, leaving nothing in its place

Except a look of sadness left upon your face.

As long as we have searched, through all the tears we’ve cried

We’ve tried to find the reason for this long good-bye.

But now it’s time to take back all your memories

As you are finally free from this cruel disease.

We pledge to remember the man that you once were;

A good-hearted, giving man is all that will be heard.

And every night when we look up and see a certain star

We will know within our hearts exactly where you are.

So on this day, we say good-bye as you now depart.

Although far from our touch, never far from our hearts.”

Do you want to donate?? Go to http://bit.ly/ALZdonate12oaks to donate directly or come by the office with your donations. We will be collecting from now until September 28,2019 when we participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.