Alzheimer’s Walk: Carrie McBride
Carrie McBride is the director of marketing and communications for the Alzheimer’s Association, Washington Chapter. It’s important that families facing this disease know where to turn for help.
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*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.
The following is a podcast from a qualified senior care provider part on the answers for elders radio show. And welcome everyone to the very first weekend in September as we talk about Alzheimer’s this month and as you know, many of us know here on the radio, we have been very involved in the Alzheimer’s Association every year and we encourage everyone to be participant in the walks and I am very honored today to have Carrie McBride, who’s the Director of marketing and communications for the Alsat Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter. And Carrie, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it. Well, we’re had glad you’re here because you know, Alzheimer’s is touched a lot of families and including mine, and certainly my stepmother had Alzheimer’s. My mom had dementia. So I’ve had a personal story and I think there’s so many things families out here that in the state of Washington that have relied on your organization. And so first of all I want to say thank you for all that you guys do. We are so supportive of the work you do and so honored that your hair. So thanks to Carrie. Of course I sound. We appreciate you spreading the word about our services. You know, it’s really important that families who are facing this disease know where to turn for help. So we appreciate any chance we get to raise awareness about the services. We’re absolutely and you know, Alzheimer’s is a choosy it touches families that are rich and poor, you know. You know, cross generations, cross anstice teas and misses teas. There we go. And and you know the thing that I really you know, before we get into the nitty gritty of the walks, which are all going on, you know, this month and into up to early October. Correct, that’s great. Again, we’ll definitely point people to the calendars so that they can find their local walk. But you know, what we want to make sure is is it talk a little bit about the Alzheimer’s Association really and what it is that you guys do for families. So, Carrie, what tell us about the association? Okay, well, the ALSHIMER’s association is really the leading Voluntary Health Organization and Alzheimer’s care, support and research. So we’re a national organization but we have a chapter here, The Washington State Chapter. Then provide amazing thank you, and we provide services across Washington state and even into Northern Idaho. We have field offices across the state as well and one in courtlane, and so we provide a lot of different services. First and foremost, we have a seven helpline. It’s a nationwide number of people can call literally any time, day or night, for support, information, guidance resources. That numbers one eight hundred, two, seven, two thirty nine hundred and we’re going to be repeating that number throughout the hour today. Yes, it’s making sure that those that you know, if, and there’s no question that’s too crazy, you can call and as not, you can call and say I’m feel like I’m drowning because I don’t know where to turn. Whatever it is, the people on that line will help you. Yes, I mean Alzheimer’s and other types of demension. This is an emotional journey for people totally, for the person facing the disease, for their loved ones, even for their colleagues, people that their church family. That number is really valuable to people. You know, I’ve heard from folks that they’re lying awake at night. They’re worried about their spouse, so their parent and they just they have so much going on in their mind about how to help that person. And you know, it’s simple. Pick up the phone and give us a call. We can walk you through it in that moment. Three am, it doesn’t matter, and and provide some support and guidance well, and I think you know, really what’s important with that is to know that people are not alone. And and you know, I know I talked to caregivers. I mean I obviously and the work that I do all the time, and I think there’s that sometimes there’s that few of desperation that but then it’s accompanied, like we’ve talked about, you know, the fact of lacking hope. It’s like the feeling like they’re stuck, like they don’t know what to do. They feel like they’re, you know, they’re drowning. Yeah, and because really is stickly the disease of Alzheimer’s. You cannot take care of somebody by yourself. There is no way. I mean, and and that’s something I think that can be so overwhelming because you’re going to probably likely reach a point where you’re going to need help. You know, maybe in the early stages you can and you feel like you can. You can handle it, but the progression of the disease, you know likely you’re going to need more resources and I think that’s one of the things that you guys have been so amazing to help families determine of how to make those transitionals, you know, happen better. Yeah, you know it can help people and pretty much every stage of the disease, Alzheimer’s is is rare and that there really is currently no way to prevent, cure or slow its progression, and so it does give people a sense of helplessness and there’s real stigma around the disease. So if you’re on the early stages, finding support and connecting to other people in the same path that you are is really important for the person affected and for their families because at that you know building a some connections and I net we’re support something that will just sustain you through that entire journey. And because it is a progressive disorder, you know that the care needs do become more intense as time goes on. People often maybe start with some in home care assistance and then eventually, you know, most people end up in a memory care community, and so because they need seven support. Absolutely, absolutely it’s and I think I’ll disease and I think too sometimes, you know, maybe mom or dad or asking her husband or our wife is maybe asking the same question three times in ten minutes and you’re wondering, you know, what’s going on. You might have some questions and it’s like, even in the early stages, to pick up that phone and saying, this is my experience. What do you think? I mean? You know, it’s validated. It’s validating this mate, sound for dent absolutely that it’s time to, you know, start making you know, taking going to the doctor, to to having the conversation of to be aware of what the actual symptoms are, because sometimes it’s not Oh, you know, maybe they just had a forgetful moment or maybe, you know, there’s other you know, maybe they had a stroke not too long ago. Those are things ab obviously that can it’s a really important for people to go in and be diagnosed early, sure, because it’s possible that what you’re experiencing is not all shimmers are dementia, and if it’s something that’s treatable, you want to address that right away. And if it is all shimmers of dementia. You need to start planning right, as soon as possible. Right. So we are talking again to carry McBride, and Carrie is the director of marketing and communications for the Alzheimer’s Association Washington State Chapter. And you guys are very busy this month. You just tell your your snohomish county walk this morning, a Saturday morning, and obviously you have a lot of walks this month that are coming up. What are some of the larger ones that we should talk about? Well, you know, we have a whole what we call our walk and Alzheimer’s season and it started this morning, as you mentioned, and ever and we had one in Bremerton actually this morning as well. Oh awesome. Yes, and so every weekend between now and October sixth we have a walk happening in rest Ington, thoughts right, and we actually host walks all across the state. We have sixteen total, but there’s walks in Tacoma, Olympia. Our flagship event is in Seattle and that one is Saturday September twenty eight. That’s the Pacific northwest walked und Alzheimer’s. It takes place at the mural amphitheater and Seattle center. About one five hundred people are expected to participate in that this year. Last year of the event raised over half a million dollars to support Alzheimer’s care, support and research and it’s really just an inspiring event. And you know, a big source of your fun thing comes from this walk or from the walks. Is that correct? That’s right and it so. We talked a little bit about some of the care and support programs that we have that helpline. We have support groups and educational opportunities. Will be talking about that a little bit through the hour, yes, but just overall, why don’t you just give us a blanket of what kind of things does Alzheimer’s Association do for Families? Well, like I mentioned the helpline, we have about a hundred support groups in Washington state and maybe it is large and small. A lot of those are for family caregivers, but we also have some for people living with the disease. We have some specialized group for people with younger on set or with parents children are taking care of us of a parent right. have some specialized groups. We have educational opportunities. We actually have to caregiver conferences coming up in November and February this year amazing, just to give make sure people have the tools and resources that they need to care for their loved one. Well, and I know we participated earlier last year are earlier this year in the discovery conference. That’s right. That also is for providers, isn’t it? Mostly and yes, and that is helping. You know, you up the game for everybody to be able to help in families here. So you guys are definitely somebody that you know, we did want to do whatever we can to support this effort and, you know, in really talking about how people can get involved. You know there’s a lot of church communities that listen to this station, there’s a lot of people that have businesses that listen to this station and this show, and certainly getting your team involved should be something that can make a difference, not only in, you know, helping the Alzheimer’s Association doing their work, but it also helps, I think, gives people hope and talking about, you know, the corporate interaction and how you can, you know, bring people together. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about the walk. Yeah, you know, it’s a really inspiring event for people and it just takes one person to start a team. You can go online Alz dot org, backslash walk and find them walk that’s nearest to you, the walk that you want to participate in. You Register Online. You can also register at the eight hundred number, which will give out again throughout the hour, and then you can make a donation or you can start a team. And this is where you invite your family, your friends, your church family colleagues to get involved. Yes, whether they can come on the day of the walk and join you or not, they can make a donation, they can spread the word for you, and that’s really how these, I guess, corporate teams, Church groups, we have families who just come and let walking on or have a loved one. All of us rallied together on Walk Day and that you know, we have an opening program that’s really inspiring from people you mentioned. Hope each person will hold a flower that represents their connection to the disease and the white flowers for the first survivor of all sign and I believe that’s going to happen. I do too, I think soon. I really hope. I love that. And so again, before we close this first segment, carry what is the number people can call and what is the website? The number is one eight hundred, two, seven, two thirty nine hundred, and the website for the walk is Alz Dot Org. backslash walk, and if you want to find out more about our chapter resources, I recommend going to Alz wa Dot Org. That’s ALLSWA DOT org. I love that, Carrie. Thank you so much and I’m so excited about the show today. So everyone, we have some great people coming up in the hour and I’m looking forward to it. Hey, thank you so much. Answers for elders radio show with Susan Newman. Hopes you found this podcast useful in your journey of navigating senior care. Check out more podcasts like this to help you find qualified senior care experts and areas of financial, legal, health and wellness and living options. 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Originally published September 08, 2019