Memory Walk to benefit those with Alzheimer’s

BANGOR – One of Fred’s first clues that all was not well with his 79-year-old sister was the gifts she brought when she visited from out of state.

The presents were “way off,” recalled Fred – not his real name. “She wasn’t her old self.”

His sister seemed pretty much OK when he visited her home the next week, and yet, “her answers weren’t right,” he said. He also found that his sister, who now resides in Maine with another sibling, had subscribed to numerous publications.

“I found magazines that would do great in the doctor’s office,” he said, but they didn’t seem to match up with his sister’s interests.

Fred had come face to face with one of the hardest aspects of dealing with a family member who has Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive disease involving the degeneration of brain cells leading to dementia. It’s the devastation of seeing someone you know, and realizing that person no longer seems to be behind the face.

Fred said he copes with his sister’s situation by using resources such as family members; the Eastern Agency on Aging, which he describes as “dedicated to the elderly”; and Westgate Manor’s support group. Westgate is a facility fully dedicated to the care of Alzheimer’s patients.

The support group Fred attends is for caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s, said Kristie Miner, Reflections Program director at Westgate Manor. It is one of 52 such groups throughout the state.

Miner facilitates the group with Tammy Leland, assistant director of nurses. The group meets 7-9 p.m. the second and last Thursdays of the month at Westgate.

“It’s a good problem-solving group,” said Miner. The group deals with a full range of experiences family members go through as the disease progresses. It is a group Miner strongly encourages people to attend if they have questions.

Minor said that memory loss and difficulty learning and remembering new information are initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s. A person may not be able to remember what they had for breakfast, yet be able to recall childhood experiences.

It’s hard for families to know at what point to intervene “and how to go about doing that,” she said. Concerns early on include safety issues such as whether or not medications have been taken, nutrition and hygiene.

This year’s annual Maine Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, “Taking Steps to End Alzheimer’s,” is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, in several locations throughout the state.

The Bangor walk will begin at Westgate Manor, 750 Union St. Sign-in is at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. Those interested may register the day of the walk, but preregistration is encouraged to get contributions, said Miner. There is no minimum cost to participate, and walkers may set their own goals for fund raising.

“People can form teams. Sometimes we have family teams,” she said. Statewide, the walk has grown since it began a dozen years ago.

“In 1991, we had one walk and we raised $30,000,” said Susan Braziel, development director for the Maine Alzheimer’s Association. Last year there were 15 walks, with some 1,300 walkers and 150 teams raising more than $290,000, she said. “So that’s a lot of growth in that time.”

While Bangor is one of the state’s biggest walks, the largest is in Scarborough, where the Maine Alzheimer’s Association’s founder, Marilyn Paige, lives. This will be Bangor’s seventh year participating. Minor said that last year about 125 participated in the Bangor walk, raising about $22,000. Bangor’s goal this year is $27,000.

“They have just done an absolutely outstanding job.” Braziel said of Bangor’s participation. The statewide goal for this year’s walk is $325,000, about $300 per participant.

“And all of the funds raised stay in Maine for the variety of programs and services that the Alzheimer’s Association provides,” Miner said.

The walk is 3.5 miles long, but there is also a 1-plus mile option, Miner said. A van will be available to pick up people after completing the shorter walk or at any point throughout the 3.5 miles, as needed.

“There’s lots of prizes and food,” Miner said. Entertainment and music also will be featured.

To obtain information or to register for the Maine Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, call the Maine Alzheimer’s Association at (800) 660-2871, 163 Lancaster St., Suite 160B, Portland 04101, or visit www.mainealz.org. Or register at www.alz.org/memorywalk.

For information about Westgate Manor’s Alzheimer’s support group, call Kristie Miner at 942-7336. Another Alzheimer’s caregiver support group meets at noon the third Wednesday of the month at the Newman Center, 83 College Ave., Orono. For information, call 581-3444.