Alzheimer's Awareness

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Betty Picker was always the center of her family, the belle of the ball and sharp as a tack.

She won all the crossword puzzle contests with Los Angeles and New York Times, she was brilliant," her daughter Marcie McMillan said.

That made it even more difficult for Marcie to watch Alzheimer's rob her mother's mind.  "She took the car and forgot where she was going, just kept driving and driving and driving."

Marcie and her daughter, Dana Geiger know you've heard stories like theirs before.

"Yeah, you hear it, but no one wants to deal with it," said Dana.

They don't want to force it, but they think you should know the truth.

"We just had someone diagnosed (at the Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Virginia) at age 47. He's in our early onset program," said McMillan. "Its not an old person's disease and that is what we need to reeducate," added Geiger.

The Alzheimer's Association says early detection can lead to the best treatment. There are drugs that can slow down the progression.

Signs to look for include:

• Poor judgement and decision making
• Inability to manage a budget
• Losing track of the date or season
• Difficulty having a conversation
• Misplacing things and being unable to retrace your steps to find them

Betty Picker lived with the disease for nearly 20 years, but her family will live with it forever.

"That's why I work with my mom and try to bring awareness to stop this", said Geiger.

"Our mission is a wold without Alzheimer's and no one has to go through what we went through," McMillan said.

McMillan says Hospice care helped make the last five years of her mother's life easier on everyone.
More Alzheimer's families are using hospice services now and the needs of both organizations are increasing dramatically.

You can help and learn more about both the Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Virginia and the Hospice Alliance of Hampton Roads this Sunday at the "Sweet Memories" brunch. The fundraiser is being held at the Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club in Virginia Beach from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For reservations call 459-2405.

Related Links: Alzheimer's Assoc.    www.alz.org/index.asp

Hospice Alliance Of Hampton Roads: www.hrhospicealliance.com/