Community Stories/News

Join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

This fall, staff from The Morrison Communities will Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Community members are welcome to join “Team Morrison Communities”  by registering at act.alz.org. This effort is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

More than 600 communities around the country will participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, September 25. Locally, The Morrison Communities Team will be Walking to End Alzheimer’s on September 25, in St. Johnsbury,Vermont. Participants will gather downtown at the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center at Depot Square, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. and the Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m.

As participants’ health and safety are top priorities, the St. Johnsbury walk organizers will continue to closely monitor CDC, state and local guidelines to ensure that the event adheres to the latest recommendations.

While there is no fee to register for Walk, all participants are encouraged to raise critical funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure.

How to Participate in 3 Easy Steps:

  1. Register for your local Walk.
    Find a Walk near you and sign up as a Team Captain, team member or individual.
  2. Start fundraising and spread the word.
  3. Join us on Walk day.
    Come together for an inspiring community event that celebrates our commitment to ending the disease.

Some facts about Alzheimer’s from the Alzheimer’s Association’s website at www.alz.org:

  • More than 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
  • By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s is expected to reach 12.7 million.
  • Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased 145%.
  • Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women.
  • Alzheimer’s kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
  • One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
  • Alzheimer’s disease was officially listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2019 and the seventh-leading cause of death in 2020 and 2021,when COVID-19 entered the ranks of the top 10 causes of death.
  • Family members and friends provided more than $271 billion in unpaid care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in 2021.
  • 55% of primary care physicians caring for people living with Alzheimer’s report that there are not enough dementia care specialists in their communities to meet patient demands.
  • In 2022, the total national cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is expected to reach $321 billion (that figure does not include the $271 billion in unpaid caregiving by family and friends).

The Alzheimer’s Association asks everyone who would like to participate to register online or in person on the day of the event in their community. Participants can start a team, join a team or walk as an individual. The event is free, but participants are encouraged to raise funds to advance the fight against Alzheimer’s.

It’s also possible to participate without attending the walk in person, with options to participate online and in your own neighborhood. Find information on these options at www.alz.org/vermont.

All funds raised advance the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer’s Association is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization; all donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Mary Bates, MS, CT, is a Certified Dementia Practitioner. She is the Assisted Living and Memory Care Director of Summit by Morrison, a senior living community offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and respite care.

Through this column, Mary will share the experience, knowledge, and resources she and her team rely on, anticipating that it will be useful for anyone living with, caring for, or coming into contact with a person with dementia. Send your questions to Understanding Dementia at Summit, 56 Summit Drive, Whitefield, NH 03598 or email mary.bates@summitbymorrison.org. Mary will share information and answer as many questions as possible through this column. Learn more about Summit by Morrison at www.themorrisoncommunities.org.

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