Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666
Press Release From Independent Source

Rotary celebrates World Alzheimer’s Day with candlelight vigil

To recognise World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, 2015, as designated by the Alzheimer’s Association International, the Rotary Clubs of the VI and the Lions Club of Tortola held a candlelight vigil and awareness programme at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park. Photo: Facebook
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- September 2015 is being celebrated as World Alzheimer’s Month under the theme: “Remember Me”, encouraging us to care for all those around us suffering in silence.

To recognise World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, 2015, as designated by the Alzheimer’s Association International, the Rotary Clubs of the VI and the Lions Club of Tortola held a candlelight vigil and awareness programme at the Noel Lloyd Park.

Over 30 persons from the media, Rotary Clubs, Lions Club, Rotaract Clubs and the VI medical and general community were present.

The Chair of the organising committee, Ms Edna Williams of the Rotary Club of Road Town, expressed her pleasure for the support given and her hope that the vigil would spark the light of awareness to grow even more and provide more focus on a little spoken about subject. Lighting candles to symbolise the growth of knowledge was the centerpiece of the vigil. In addition to the various speakers, a powerful poem “Alzheimer’s Poem” by Owen Darnell was read, giving a voice to those with the disease.

The Vigil was chaired by Rotary Club of Road Town Past President Janice I. F. Rymer.

In his opening prayer, Father Ronald Branche of the St Georges Anglican Church noted that it was St Matthews Day and prayed for those who could no longer use their God-given gifts due to loss of long and short-term memory.

Respect

In her Welcome Remarks, Acting President of the Rotary Club of Road Town, Sonia M. Webster spoke about the stigma surrounding the disease and pointed out that dementia is not a natural part of aging, a common misconception. "By raising awareness, we can remove the stigma and improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s and those who provide their care."

Ms Webster gave practical suggestions to interacting with those with the disease: "Treat that person with respect. Don't ignore them. Don't quiz them. Don’t ask them if they know who you are. It confuses them more. Don't stop visiting them. Don't take it personally when their actions are not logical or they don’t remember. Don't assume that they're confused all of the time.”

Person diagnosed with Alzheimer's every 69 secs in US

Acting Premier, Dr the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering, Minister for Natural Resources and Labour gave some valuable perspective on the disease. He said in the United States, every 69 seconds, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. By 2050, someone will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds.

Alzheimer’s is the 5th leading cause of death over the age of 65. He emphasized that the critical aspect of Alzheimer’s is that it is not an individual disease but societal in its impact. With the concentration and relatively long-term need for care and increasing levels of supervision, the society is beholden to provide practical, emotional and financial support for caregivers.

“Since the role of the extended family has been consumed in busyness, we have to assist more as a community with the care of loved ones.” He referenced Cabinet’s recent decision to give the Minister of Health the authority to rent a space to improve on care given to adults and emphasised Government’s support to what he deemed a vitally important programme by Rotary and Lions to build awareness for the disease. This strategic private and public partnership to solve a societal issue is the way forward.

Director of Medical Services, Dr June Samuel, explained some of the factors that the medical community have identified as leading to risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia: including Diabetes, Hypertension, end-stage Renal Disease and any other chronic disease that affects blood flow to the brain. She pointed out that the ability to diagnose and the capacity to provide care has been greatly increased in the VI. She also raised the importance of recognising the legal factors that should be considered including Health Care proxies to make long term medical care decisions and the importance of early estate planning for those affected by the disease.

You forget about everything

President of the Rotary Club Sunrise of Road Town, Mrs Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes gave a personal perspective from the stance of a family member and care giver asking the audience to consider themselves in the place of those with the disease: "You forget about everything. You forget about your marriage. You forget birthdays of your children." She gave anecdotes from experience: having to answer the same questions over and over again, sometimes a matter of a few minutes apart; finding things in odd places: fruit in the dresser, drinks under the bed. The painful times when a loved one does not recognise her grandchildren and great-grandchildren that she dearly loves.

Past President of the Lions Club, Carvin Malone emphasised the role that the Non Governmental Organisations Rotary and Lions, have played in living up to their charters to serve. He pointed out that this joint project to raise the profile of health literacy and awareness, specifically surrounding Alzheimer’s, was not the first joint project of these two groupings and cited several improvements in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park itself, including the Rotary installation of the clock and the lions installation of bathrooms. He cited the August 14, 2012, tripartite MOU between Rotary, and Lions’ then District Governors and the Alzheimer's International President to develop Alzheimer's Awareness Programmes throughout the region and pledged to continue to work on raising awareness of the disease.

With one new case of dementia worldwide every three seconds, Alzheimer’s is a critical issue that faces all countries and all cultures and all families. While many seek to raise awareness, the stigma surrounding the disease prevents many from acknowledging its presence, its impact and its treatment makes it tremendously difficult. The strategic partnership of Rotary and the Lions taps into a network of over 500 persons in the VI plus their families to help carry the message about the significance of Alzheimer’s and help to change the stigma which exists surrounding dementia and other related ailments.  

1 Response to “Rotary celebrates World Alzheimer’s Day with candlelight vigil”



Create a comment


Create a comment

Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.