"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
~ Leo Busscaglia
June is designated as Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month, sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association. This month, in 2023, is when we learned that Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter had been diagnosed with dementia. Mrs. Carter had been a long time advocate for Mental Health Issues and worked tirelessly to decrease the stigma attached to mental illness and to recognize and support the caregivers who support individuals living with dementia.
The First Lady said she felt there are only four kinds of people in the world, those who HAVE been Caregivers, those who currently ARE Caregivers, those who WILL be Caregivers and those who will NEED Caregivers. One in 10 Americans over the age of 60 are living with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. In 2020 The Alzheimer's Association estimated there are 53 million unpaid caregivers in America, 26% of them are caring for family or friends with Alzheimer's or dementia.
Despite the overwhelming need, there are few resources for those diagnosed with dementia and even fewer opportunities for their Caregivers. Being a Caregiver of a loved one with memory loss can be compared to navigating an unknown room in complete darkness. The nature of the disease is a constantly shifting landscape of symptoms and behaviors that are confusing, frightening, and constantly progressing.
Quite often caregivers experience ambiguous loss as they watch a loved one change and slip away from the person they've known, and may even take on a personality that is opposite of who they "were". This is also called Anticipatory Grief - you are losing someone, piece by piece, and the process can take years with no end in sight. It's easy for caregivers to become isolated, depressed, and to not practice self-care.
Respite for a few hours a week to recharge their batteries, to have an opportunity to relax, take a nap, visit with friends, exercise, or run errands without having to worry about their loved one is how Tim's Place offers support for these amazing folks. The particpants of Tim's Place engage with trained staff and volunteers in cognitive and physical activities in a person-centered, dementia-care environment. Socialization and acceptance becomes very difficult for a person living with memory loss or dementia, but at Tim's Place we honor the person they were AND the person they ARE.
We are a Non-Profit organization fueled by donations and volunteers. Please consider contacting us to donate funds, needed items/equipment, or to volunteer your time and talents. We hope you share our passion to support and care for those with dementia and their caregivers by spreading the word of Tim's Place website and Facebook Page.
~Ruth Kaminski
Tim's Place June 2023