“Change is the only constant in our lives, and we are learning to adapt daily,” shares daughter Reena and wife Varsha Isharani of Greensboro, North Carolina. Their father/husband, Jay, was diagnosed with dementia in 2017. “While we may make the weekly schedule each Sunday night, we know that any day could turn out to be […]
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Some of North Carolinian Wendy Russell’s earliest memories involve her mama Gwendolyn in the kitchen. “When we were preschoolers, every Easter she would bake this rabbit cake with jelly beans for eyes, black licorice candy for whiskers and a white coconut body,” remembers Wendy. She also baked cinnamon rolls from scratch that would be requested […]
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Artistic, articulate and adventuresome – these are the words that Karen Strickland of Asheville, believes best describe her mother Carol McKnight. Prior to moving to Asheville, Karen and her brother Michael were born and raised in southern California. “Due to difficult circumstances with my father, mom rescued my brother and me,” shared Karen. “She’s my […]
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From one to five years old, Raleigh resident Tedrick Kelly spent his days with his grandmother, Francine Johnson, as his parents worked. Active in her church, Johnson would take Kelly along as she volunteered visiting the sick in her congregation and helping the community. The rest of their days would be filled with wonderful memories […]
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Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, or caring for someone with the diagnosis, can often be an isolating experience. This past year and a half of pandemic living has only increased this sense of isolation. Caregivers are looking for ways to connect in new and creative ways. Sometimes that takes the form of virtual support groups. […]
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When joining the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease, everyone has their own reason for taking up the mantle. Some have firsthand knowledge through their own experience or through that of a loved one. And then some find that calling through the passion of those around them. “I didn’t know much about Alzheimer’s disease prior to […]
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In this year and a half of isolation, ‘quarantine pods’, fear and misinformation, it has become especially important to identify safe spaces in your life. For some, that is a physical space to call your own. For others, it could be a particularly calming person. For yet others, memories of past safe spaces might suffice. […]
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“Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I’ll remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all. “ While many attribute this quote to American writer Laura Ingalls Wilder that was later incorporated into an episode of “Little House on the Prairie” television show […]
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First, the Parillas moved to Southport, North Carolina from New York after Bill and his wife snagged a plot of land for ‘pennies’ on the water. Then, one-by-one, their three adult children and their families relocated to the Wilmington area. That was more than 20 years ago, and as much as they all love the […]
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Individuals pledge their support to the Alzheimer’s Association for a variety of reasons — many because a loved one has been diagnosed, others because they have lost someone to the disease, and some because they are living with dementia. But possibly, the most overlooked group are those that do not have a direct connection, but […]
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Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 