On ‘Longest Day’ honor Alzheimer’s caregivers

An op-ed by NHC’s Melinda Vance, originally published in The Tennessean on June 21, 2013. Download PDF)

Today, June 21, is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and the official start of summer, a season often filled with outdoor play and good times at the pool or the backyard barbecue. But, for many Americans, every day is the longest day as they care for a family member or person who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

We call it “The Longest Day,” and it is designed to honor and focus on caregivers for one day. This event challenges participants to choose an activity and complete 16 hours in an effort to honor the strength, passion and endurance of those facing Alzheimer’s disease.

Across America, thousands of people are dedicating today to raising money and awareness of the disease, which progressively robs its victims of their days, short or long, as it erases their memories, steals their independence, and takes away their control of their life and, ultimately, their life itself.

It’s often said that Alzheimer’s caregivers are giving care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For them, every day is a very long day — especially in certain stages of the disease. For people caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, every day is a demonstration of love, patience, strength and endurance. So each year, on The Longest Day, Alzheimer’s support organizations across America organize fundraisers around group activities that can be done from dawn until dusk. Often these are endurance-based activities such as cycling, running or walking, organized in sunrise-to-sunset relays so that at least one team member is doing that activity during those hours.

At National HealthCare (NHC) facilities nationwide, the activities we are doing today range from an all-day bridge game organized by the American Contract Bridge Association to rocking in rocking chairs from sunrise to sunset, honoring the strength, passion and endurance of those living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, including an estimated 200,000 people under age 65. It is estimated that up to 16 million will have the disease by the year 2050. As big as those numbers are, they don’t convey the up-close experiences of the millions of caregivers who live with and care for someone with Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that takes away your memories, your personality and your history with your family, the very people who often care for you through all the days from the longest to the shortest.

Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is and emotionally, financially and physically challenging role for caregivers, whether they are family members or paid caregivers.

I’m reminded of a gentleman whose wife had Alzheimer’s, and it had progressed to the point that she often insisted that it was time to go home, when she was already home. Her husband, at her side all day, would help her to the car, go for a short drive, and bring her back home. That would satisfy her for a while … maybe for five minutes, maybe for the day, but never for long.

We are consistently aware of the fact that for the caregiver, the day never ends. We are proud to honor all Alzheimer caregivers on this, “The Longest Day.”

Melinda Vance serves on the Tennessee and Mid-South Board of the Alzheimer’s Association. She is employed by National HealthCare and is the liaison connecting NHC Alzheimer Caregivers and the Alzheimer’s Association. For support, or more information on Alzheimer’s, please visit Alz.org.