Before I started forwarding our home phone calls to my cell phone, we apparently got a phone call from the Alzheimer's Association. My husband answered the phone. There were in a fund raising mode, no surprise, and wanted him to mail out envelopes to our neighbors and friends. I wasn't aware of this until he received his package in the mail. I called the Alzheimer's Association up and told them that he didn't know what this was about couldn't help them. When asked why, I told them they were talking to an AD patient and asked what she expected. The individual on the phone didn't have a clue!
I've received several calls from Alz.Assn. re: fundraising for them. I thank them for their work, but each time, suggest they should call people in our large city who are not caregivers 24/7 to help. I am registered with them as a caregiver, early on I spoke with one of their counselors a few times. I'd think they'd have this noted on my file. I appreciate their work, but frankly, they haven't provided anything that might benefit us personally. They are much to far away, and all of their caregiver group meetings are in their immediate geographic area...rather than spread around the various points in Greater Houston. Checking their seminars, etc., many are for professionals, awarding Continuing Education credits. I wish they had at least one meeting a month on the north or northwest side of Houston, instead of always in the Medical Center area in South Houston. A 2 hour drive each way through city traffic and on toll roads.
I got one of those fund raising packets and sent the donation requests out to old friends who have dropped us since the AD diagnosis. Got $5000 from one person! Guilt money for the Alz Ass. is ok with me.
Double check that donation (ha ha). One of the earliest questions that came up re: my husband's mental acuity was when our accountant questioned his four generous donations in one month to the Republican Party. He was agreeing to donate to each and every phone call he received from their various committees. I could imagine that they were passing his name and number around to their cronies......saying "HEY!...I FOUND a good one!...call before his wife finds out what he's doing!!"
Nancy, my bride is from Houston, and still has some family in NW area; also friends. Been there many times, and know what great distances there are from say The Woodlands to downtown or Hobby. There won't be any more trips there now of course, mainly due to the bathrooming issues. Wanted to have an RV with a bed, to be able to travel a little bit, but no $$$$$$$$$$ for that.
TJ, then you understand what a drive it is to go from Northwest of Intercontinental Airport to the Medical Center in far South Houston...past the downtown area. It's white knuckle driving mot of the time. - and rush hour is a nightmare. His doctor who is in the medical center schedules all appointments after 1:30..so we are always driving home with outbound work traffic.
It's not worth the hassle to drive down there alone to attend a one hour caregivers' group meeting. Don't you agree?
Nancy--The seminars conducted for professionals are the good ones--you already know all the stuff at the ones presented for family caregivers! Most of us here could teach the latter (I'm not kidding). When they advertise the ones with continuing education credits, I call the Alz Assn and explain that I want to go--they let me attend for a reduced fee or no fee at all. So if there is one convenient to you--give it a try, I think those are the only ones worth taking the time and effort to attend. Also, this winter our Alz chapter had a series of caregiving educational programs available by conference call. That really made sense! I don't know if that's a nationwide thing or just local, but you could check into it.
I totally agree, Nancy. "Been there, done that". I hope I can find a group close to me that meets not to train, but to 'grieve', sorta' like we do here.
Good idea, Marilyn. I didn't think they'd let us go to the professional training seminars. I WOULD want to attend those. I will say again, I was intrigued by the research information made available on the Alzheimer's Project and plan to view it again for better understanding of the content.