IT”S OCTOBER 1ST!!!!! Sorry but you you know I have to shout when it is the first of every month because it means it is time to reveal our Comments for a Cause results for the month and announce the new cause. If you are new around these parts this is a great feature on It’s Just Life that I started doing in April 2011. Each month I highlight a cause on the first of the month. During the month any comment made on any post during the month nets a 50 cent donation to that cause. It’s easy for you the reader to comment and a way that Chris and I can give back a little bit in a tangible way.
Image from Copeland Oaks Website
Last week I was excited to go spend some time with my mom at Copeland Oaks in Sebring, Ohio. I love this place and am so grateful she is living in a place that is so loving and concerned about their residents. My cause for September was targeted specifically toward the Copeland Oaks Foundation’s Life Care program which allows residents to continue to stay in the facility even if their financial situation has changed. I am thrilled to report that we will be making a donation of $185 this month thanks to all of your comments.
Source: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
http://www.alzfdn.org
Recently I have become even more aware of the increasing need for research in the area of Alzheimer’s Disease. It is a debilitating disease that robs the individual affected of memories and much more. Families of the loved one often find themselves wondering where their loved one has gone when their memory abilities start to decline and it is not an easy to deal with the things that come as a result of the disease.
Recently a dear family friend lost her husband who had this horrible disease. My sweet brother in law, Carlton, has also been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and when it touches family members it gets real. It’s time to get involved and see that a cure is found and caregivers have resources available to them.
After checking with Charity Navigator I was thrilled to find the the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America received their highest rating of 4 stars. That means my donation goes where I want it to go without a huge amount of overhead costs or money being spent someplace that is not service or research related. That is very important to me.
I have spent some time checking out their website and there are simply tons of resources available there for caregivers and loved ones as well as plenty of info sheets that share some pretty important information.
Their mission is simple. (All information and graphics taken from the AFA website.)
The mission of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is “to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families-through our member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life.”
It is always good to know what an organization is about and AFA is all about educating and joining people and organizations together to highlight what can be done to help those afflicted with the disease.
AFA unites more than 2,300 member organizations from coast-to-coast that are dedicated to meeting the educational, social, emotional and practical needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, and their caregivers and families. Under AFA’s umbrella, these organizations collaborate on education, resources, best practices and advocacy —all resulting in better care for people affected by the disease.
What makes me happiest is the disclosure of how donations will be spent.
Donations help fund our toll-free helpline with counseling by licensed social workers, resources and referrals; educational conferences; a free caregiver magazine, AFA Care Quarterly; national initiatives such as National Memory Screening Day, professional education, training and qualification; and Young Leaders of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to educate and engage teens and college students. In addition, AFA provides grants to member organizations to provide family respite care and to enhance or develop programs and services; and, through strategic partnerships, AFA funds research for medical treatment and a cure.
If you know of anyone who is dealing with this disease I am sure you will be able to find some real help through the materials available on the AFA website. The toll free helpline is an amazing resource.
So please join me this month and comment often on any and all blog posts on It’s Just Life. For each comment Chris and I will donate 50 cents to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (cap of $500). I know some of you have first hand experience with this disease. If you have a loved one struggling with the disease please let me know in the comment section so I can keep them in my thoughts and prayers as well.
55 Comments
Leave a commentA perfect comments for a cause! Alzheimer’s strikes every family and is so sad. I am sorry to hear your brother-in-law has been diagnosed. He has such a loving family, I know he will be well taken care of. I have heard good things about The Alzheimer’s Society, a friend of mine works for them in Vancouver.
Thanks, Darlene. I am impressed with all of the resources that they give to caregivers and the help line is a very imprint thing. There are so many people who are facing this disease and it is disheartening so anything that can be done to help is good, right?
Right! I so agree.
Dad, while living, was told that he had Alzheimer’s. It was a long time ago. Fortunately, it was misdiagnosed. Never-the-less, the experience made it very personal. Thanks for bringing this forward. The links to info are great. Best wishes to Carl and the family.
Thank YOU for stopping by and commenting , Bill. I think it is a disease that touches so many more than we even realize. I had forgotten that your dad had been misdiagnosed .Thanks for your kind words.
Memory loss may or may not be attributed to that specific disease but “those who stand by”, and those stricken, suffer so much mental and emotional anguish each moment of every day! Such a worthy cause!!!! Hugs…….
It is a worthy cause indeed and the caregivers are the ones who really can benefit from some of the services that they offer. Thanks for stopping by!
Alzheimers is a horrible disease. I saw firsthand just how awful it was when my mother in law had to suffer through this.
So many people know it first hand. It is heartbreaking and we just have to support people who have to suffer through it as well as their caregivers. Thanks as always, Ozzie, for your support.
Great cause, Beth! Thankfully, no one in my family has been affected by Altzheimers, but when my mom was in the convalescent center, we knew several patients there who were. It is such a sad situation, not only for the patient, but for their family members too. I hope you get lots of comments this month!
Thank you so much! I hope that we can cap out this month. It’s been a little slow on the blog lately so I would love to get some more comments this month. Thanks for your support as always!
Very slow on my blog,too. Fairly okay on views, but comments are really down… ??
What a worthy cause…I have been a supporter of AFA as both my Dad and brother who were stricken with memory problems. Dad’s was dementia/alzheimer’s and my brothers was brought on by Parkinsons. Neither were easy to deal with. Yes, it’s hard on family but also frustrating for the patients. Great cause Beth Ann.
As always, a great cause. My grandma had Alzheimers for years.
Awesome cause. Re-posting!
Great cause! We are all blessed to be a part. Thanks Beth Ann for all you do!?
Awesome on both accounts and I was just thinking we haven’t seen Carlton lately! Great to see his smiling face!!
I get to go visit him in a couple of weeks so I am sure there will be a few more pics coming down the pike soon!
Great cause with so many families affected by this disease. You’re right that when something touches you personally, you become motivated to speak up. Thank you for your generosity to many good causes.
Thanks, Audrey. I am thrilled to be able to highlight them this month.
As always a worthy goal! I used to wait tables at a restaurant near the Mayo Clinic in Roch MN I often served families who had members afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease such a tragic and sad disease.
Oh wow–you were in Rochester? How did I miss this little factoid about you?
I will be commenting as much as my little fingers can type this month. I don’t think I can name a single person who hasn’t been affected by Alzheimer’s in some way. A great cause to contribute to. <3
It affects so many people and it is such a horrible disease that just robs a person of so much. Thanks for your support.
Thank you for the post. It is a great cause.
Absolutely! Thank YOU for stopping by and commenting.
Wonderful cause! Wonderful blog. Have been living with my mother’s Alzheimer’s for 11 years now. Love you.
I can’t believe it has been 11 years for her! You have been such a supportive and loving daughter and I love to see the pics of her with the great grands! Priceless.
It truly is a horrible disease. I saw it often working as a care aid.
You saw it first hand and it stinks.
It really does and I’m sorry it’s hit close to home for you.
What a wonderful cause. We lost John’s brother to alzheimer’s a few years ago and, yes, it is a horrible disease. Loved seeing Carlton’s smiling face. I still chuckle when i think of you having to hide M&M’s so you could have some.
Thanks for stopping by Dianne! Yes, it is an awful disease. We are going to go visit Carlton in a couple of weeks so I will be doing selfies with him I am sure!
Beth Anne I had no idea about Carl. I am so sorry to hear that. Daddy doesn’t have that but he does have dimentia and it has gotten worse since his heart attack. Some days are better than others. It’s tough on all of us but hardest on Mama. He still knows us but he gets very confused when things aren’t on schedule or he’s in unfamiliar surroundings. I’ll be praying for Carl and Colleen as she cares for him. Also praying for the whole family as you all help him through this journey.
I’m so sorry to hear about Carl!! Will keep you all in my prayers too. My dad was recently tested because it seemed that he was forgetting things randomly lately. But it turned out it was okay… it’s just still some lingering damage from the stroke he had last winter, and they expect in time it will be fully healed. But, he is also just getting older and bound to forget a few minor things every now and then. So we are greatly relieved.
Thank you for your support of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. I am extremely proud that “Comment For A Cause” has chosen AFA. Our goal every day is to help more people today then we did yesterday. We want to ensure that individuals living with Alzheimer’s and caregivers receive the best care and services available. Thank you. Chuck Fuschillo, President & CEO
Chuck, Thanks os much for stopping by! I knew this was an important charity to highlight and your organization and mission fit right in with what I believe Comments for a Cause stands for on my blog. Obviously lives are changed when this disease hits but with organizations like yours hopefully things will be made a bit easier for all who encounter it. Thank you for all that you do and for taking the time to stop by.
What a great thing that you are doing and a very worthy cause!
Thank you, Julie, for stopping by and making a point of leaving a comment. I appreciate it more than you know. I know how easy it is to just skim a blog post and not take the time to leave a comment so each and every one matters to me. This has been the best thing I have done on It’s Just Life and I love finding new causes to support. Thanks again!
This illness makes no distinction as all walks of our society are affected. There are so many that have heard about it but know little about it. Thank all of you that are having your voices heard.
Joe, thank you so much for sharing your words here. There are so many things that are a mystery about this disease and anything that can be done to help those affected is a good thing.
You’ve found another great cause. I’m sorry to hear of Carlton’s diagnosis. I’m glad your mom has a nice place to live. That means SO much when we live so far from our loved ones and have to rely on others to care for them.
Thank you so much!!!! We are going to go see him in a couple of weeks so I am happy that we are going to be able to see him again.
[…] you have coming up on your docket. Let me know in the comments and don’t forget that the Comments for a Cause this month will go to Alzheimer’s Foundation of […]
This is a wonderful cause!
Thank you so much for choosing this great cause. You know it is dear to my heart. My experience this past summer has convinced me that as a country we are not even close to being ready to deal with this horrible disease and the increase in numbers that are predicted. Carlton and your family are certainly in my prayers.
[…] Tell me in the comments section and remember that all comments this month go for our latest Comments for a Cause, Alzheimer’s Foundation of […]
Great service to all for FREE-
AFA’s Care Connection is a free monthly teleconference providing the opportunity for family caregivers and professionals to further educate themselves on dementia related topics, receive support, and connect with others. Care connection takes place on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 1pm-2pm EDT.
•These teleconferences are a valuable mix of coaching, guest speakers, questions and answers–and sharing.
•AFA’s licensed social workers facilitate each session and encourages participants to pose questions to the experts as well as share their own experiences in this supportive environment. For information about specific speakers and topics, see below.
•On the second Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. (ET), call Care Connection’s toll-free number and, when prompted, enter the designated guest identification number.
•Call toll-free: 877-594-8353 FREE
Guest identification number: 46692951#
•Connecting can make all the difference
Thanks so much for the great information!!! It is appreciated!
[…] Do you have anything in your possession that was created with love and passed down through the generations that serves as a reminder of a time gone by? I would love to hear all about it in the comments section. Don’t forget to comment for Comments for a Cause. […]
[…] Tell me a random thing about you in the comments section. Remember it all counts for Comments for a Cause. […]
[…] Or if you want to just share a few here leave them in the comments. All comments go for our Comments for a Cause for the […]
[…] One day I will count and inventory them all. One day. But for now I will just enjoy them and continue to share them with you on Teapot Tuesday. Next week I will share yet another one that has not been featured on It’s Just Life before. Come back and make sure to leave a comment for Comments for a Cause. […]
[…] to everyone who took the time to comment. Every comment this month goes to help fund our Comments for a Cause for the month – Alzheimer’s Foundation of […]
[…] October I highlighted The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. You can read that post by clicking here. This organization does some pretty amazing and important things and I am thrilled to announce that […]