More than an estimated 5.5 million Americans may have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease, and a significant portion of that number are age 65 or older. As you get older, the cloud of Alzheimer’s looms larger. It’s a disease that slowly breaks down our memory and thinking skills, until even the simplest of tasks can become too difficult to complete on our own.
Alzheimer’s not only affects the people who are living with it, but their loved ones as well. It’s a disease with a far-reaching impact, which is why Oak Trace is so passionate about raising awareness for Alzheimer’s and inviting our residents to participate in The Longest Day.
What is The Longest Day?
There are 365 days in a calendar year, and Sunday, June 20 happens to be the longest of them all, at least for people who live in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the day with the most light, otherwise known as the summer solstice. The Alzheimer’s Association, which is a health organization that supports Alzheimer’s care and research, uses The Longest Day to bring people together. On the day of the year with the most light, we fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s.
The Longest Day is a tradition through which participants across the globe can use their creativity and passion to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s and help support the efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association to accelerate research and ensure quality care for people with Alzheimer’s.
Getting Involved
The Longest Day has another name at Oak Trace — Brain Day. Residents of our community from all levels of care are invited to participate in extra sessions of our daily “Brain Power” activity. Handouts with brain puzzles — and most importantly, prizes — will be available to complete. We will also be screening a TED Talk that explores ways you can keep your brain healthy in the fight against Alzheimer’s, with an open discussion to follow.
No activity is complete without snacks, and brain-healthy snacks will be provided, along with explanations of what exactly makes those snacks brain-healthy. For example, beets in a small salad will be served. Beets are known to increase blood flow to the brain, helping you to think more clearly and improve your attention span. Eat and educate yourself at the same time!
Raising Awareness for Alzheimer’s
Participation in The Longest Day is not limited to those who are able to attend our activities. If you have a social media account, you can still do your part to raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association. Their goal is to connect with people and help them better understand the impact that Alzheimer’s has on millions of people across the world. The best way to do that is through storytelling. Whether you have a story of your own to tell or a friend or family member has one you can use your social media accounts to share about a personal experience with Alzheimer’s.
The quickest way to connect with a person is through their heart, and stories about the real world impact of Alzheimer’s on social media can be how you get there.
Oak Trace supports residents and families affected by Alzheimer’s
Oak Trace is committed to supporting the health and wellness of our residents. That means providing our independent living residents with the support they need if they are showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. Our goal is to help them maintain as much of their independence as possible, while taking precautions to ensure their health and safety.
We encourage all our residents to eat a healthy diet and maintain good blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood glucose levels. Reducing stress as much as possible is important, as is getting an adequate amount of sleep each night. Our team can also make efforts to aid residents in keeping their appointments, keeping track of medications, and helping them to remember words and familiar people or places. Our focus is on establishing a strong line of communication and maximizing their strengths to make each day as simple and easy for them as possible.
If you’d like more information on our senior living community and the health and wellness services we provide, we’d love to chat! Fill out the form below or give us a call at 630-769-6100.
