21 May Alzheimer’s Awareness: What is The Longest Day?
The Alzheimer's Association is hosting The Longest Day, a chance to show love and support for those fighting Alziehmers and their caretakers.
Alzheimer’s is a category of dementia that can cause implications with behavior, thinking, and memory. The symptoms of this disease can surface slowly and typically progress faster in later stages. There is currently no cure, only treatment. The symptoms can lead to drastic changes in behavior and make it difficult to receive the right care. Sufferers of this disease and their caretakers need all the support and love they can receive, which is why The Longest Day Event was created.
History of the Event
The Alzheimer’s Association created an event called The Longest Day to spread awareness and support those who are living with Alzheimer’s and the caretakers that care for them. The event will be modified and changed to ensure social distancing guidelines are met, but will still be just as meaningful and impactful. The event will be held on June 20th on the longest day of the year. The event will focus on a tribute to those affected by Alzheimer’s, showing love for the sufferers and caretakers that make the difference for them.
Relevance of Alzheimer’s
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are more than five million people in the US living with the disease and it is currently the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. There are 16.3 million caretakers, consisting of either friends or family, for those living with Alzheimer’s- providing up to 18.6 billion hours of unpaid care. It’s important to recognize the sacrifices of those caregivers and to help support those who suffer from the disease. The disease is expected to increase to 75 million sufferers by 2030, increasing in relevance and importance to families and people affected. The Longest Day is a wonderful way to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and raise money by doing what you’re passionate about.
How to Participate
Getting involved is easy and fun! Simply register online and set up a fundraising page, add details about how to participate in your activity, and then invite others along the way to help you fundraise! There are various activities that you can participate in including exercise, sports, games, hobbies, arts, and parties. All of these activities can be done from home or even online, therefore the fundraising activities for The Longest Day can still be carried out easily during this time of precaution. This is a day to remember those who fight bravely and those who have passed on.
Another way to participate is to sign up as a volunteer. If you’re passionate about Alzheimer’s and want to help others, you can join us by visiting the Volunteers page. As a Longest Day volunteer, you have the opportunity to provide event planning expertise, coaching on fundraising, and other activities. Longest Day considers your interest and schedule and allows you to help any way you can. Companies and organizations are invited to participate as sponsors to raise awareness. Receiving exclusive benefits like logo presence on website and outgoing emails, customized coaching, and much more. By being a sponsor, you can do your part to help fund research for this incredibly relevant issue.
Raising Awareness
Raising awareness about Alzheimer’s and its effect on not only the sufferer- but the family that aids in providing the care and support for those fighting Alzheimer’s- is incredibly important. More awareness and engagement leads to an increase in research toward treatment and prevention and with enough hard work, an eventual cure. Raising awareness also gives a voice to those who may not have one, it advocates and fights for the voiceless or forgotten.
At Aegis we have experience in working and caring for those with issues of dementia and suffer from Alzheimer’s. We believe in the utmost level of care and respect for our patients, paying attention, and serving every patient’s needs. If you or a loved one is thinking of additional care, compare services here.