Kingsland Walk Senior Living Raising Alzheimer’s Awareness on the Longest Day

As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.

Mary Anne Radmacher

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, when those whose lives have been touched by memory-impairing diseases come together and raise awareness through education and support. This month includes June 21st, the summer solstice and the longest day of sunshine and light during the calendar year.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia affect over five million individuals in the United States alone. If we continue this current trajectory, this number is expected to triple by the year 2050. The impact of Alzheimer’s on individuals and those who love them is astounding. Memory, personality, problem solving, safety awareness, decision making, relationships – all these things and more are affected through no fault or choice of the individual. For families, this can feel like a loss that never seems to end.

While dementia is incredibly challenging for everyone involved, there are ways that each one of us can bring light to the darkness.

The Longest Day is the day with the most light. The Alzheimer’s Association acknowledges this day to address the stigmatized darkness associated with Alzheimer’s.

This day is meaningful to me because it allows us to continue to spread light and awareness about dementia. As a Memory Care Director, we are always advocating for our residents to give a voice to the voiceless. Through education we can lay to rest many of the myths that come with dementia. This will better assist families to engage, rather than disengage, with their loved ones who have dementia.

Here at Kingsland Walk Senior Living University City, MO we are celebrating The Longest Day by hosting a car wash. I, along with the Resident Services Director and a few Assisted Living residents will be washing and wiping. We are encouraging all department heads and staff to come out and get their autos cleaned for a great cause. 

We welcome and encourage families to come in and engage with the residents in our Neighborhood. Dementia is such an individualized disease. By encouraging families to come in and engage with all our residents this allows them to see all stages of dementia. Seeing the varying stages may better equip loved ones on ways to continue engaging with their loved one once their disease begins to progress.  

Let’s join as communities throughout this month to honor, love, and support not only those living with dementia, but their families as well. If your life is personally touched by this disease, we are here for you.