By Angelina Gamba Jody Nolan’s father first began showing small signs of Alzheimer’s back in 2012, like forgetting to turn off the hose in the backyard or taking the wrong exit. At that point, he volunteered to give up driving.  “I know for a lot of people, it’s really difficult for them to give up their independence,” Nolan said. “He was a very gentle, easy going guy, and he didn’t want to be a burden on anybody. So it was easy for him to give it up.”  In 2014, he was officially diagnosed. He attended an outpatient memory care facility to get exercise and social activity during the ..read more

By Angelina Gamba Dr. Zahydie L. Burgos Ribot’s husband, Francisco Rios aka Pako, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s just two years ago at the age of 46.  “When he was first diagnosed, that first year we told no one,” Ribot said. “It was very much on a need-to-know basis. We were still grappling with the disease and what this meant. I remember that prioritizing our mental health was key. So, we took one year to process, grieve, cry and let the magnitude of the disease kind of weigh us down.”  Ribot and her husband then decided to make an Instagram account to document their ex ..read more

Spring is here. It’s the time of the year that cleaning house becomes a priority. The process of spring cleaning when you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia can be more challenging.  You want your loved one to feel they are contributing to the process and you are not coming in and taking over their home. Let them be involved and heard, so they do not get upset, confused or overwhelmed.  Nicole Ramer of Organized Haven in Lakeland shares some valuable tips to help those caregivers and family members tackle the spring cleaning task.  Have a pl ..read more

The 2024 Florida legislative session has come to an end with major wins for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. None of this would have been possible without the amazing work of advocates across the state!  Legislative Wins  The Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Training for Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers (HB 801/ SB 208) passed unanimously in both chambers and was signed by the Governor in April. This critical bill creates an Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) continuing education course available for not only law enforcement officers, but correcti ..read more

The most difficult thing I’ve experienced in my life is learning how to be a supportive caregiver to my wife. Her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s was a life-altering event for both of us, and I refused to give up the love, care and affection I feel for this precious person with whom I have enjoyed years of companionship, great memories and joyous occasions.  To be a supportive caregiver, I had to learn how to handle the frustrations and anxiety that come with the responsibility and how not to give in to those negative feelings. In the beginning, my patience was tested to the max. After my loved ..read more

By Angelina Gamba, poem by Ron Jackson Alzheimer’s disease takes a toll on the entire family and broader community, As a caregiver, it is normal to struggle with a variety of feelings throughout the caregiving process. Frustration, guilt, sadness, anger, denial and grief are amongst the most common feelings experienced during this difficult journey. For some, expressing their feelings through poetry can be therapeutic and serve as a connection to others facing the same emotions.  Ron Jackson was a caregiver for his wife, Katherine (or Kathy, as she liked to be called). Kathy was diagnosed ..read more

Unforgettable shares the story of the impact Alzheimer’s has on families. The play, developed by Gdavis Productions and Films, and presented by the Alzheimer’s Association, sheds light on the importance of recognizing the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s, early detection and diagnosis of the disease and the importance of underrepresented communities participating in clinical trials. Discover other events in the Miami area from Unforgettable partner organizations. April 9 & 10 – Early Detection. Join Brain Matters Research for no-cost memory screening for those age 50 and up on April 9 a ..read more

In 2023, the Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter announced a new grant from the Ocean Reef Community Foundation to address the growing Alzheimer’s crisis in Southeast Florida. Currently, more than 62,000 in Miami-Dade County alone are living with Alzheimer’s, a fatal disease that impacts thinking, behavior and memory.  Since then the Association has served more than 200 people in Homestead, Florida City and South Dade County through awareness programs and employee training through Baptist Health Homestead Hospital. All programs have been available at no-cost to the community ..read more

By Michelle F. Solomon As a caregiver, when it was daylight saving time, either fall back or spring forward, I braced myself. Both were difficult for my mother –  especially in the assisted living facility. I always visited and spent the dinner hour with my mother (I had her close by so I could run over frequently) and then we would watch television or sit in the lobby for a bit. Usually around 8 p.m., she was ready to retire to her room. Her dementia and Alzheimer’s had manifested itself in anxiety and her sundowner’s was more of a scared nervousness than agitation. Sundowning is a phe ..read more

By Kaila Garton-Miller African Americans are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s disease and the Hispanic population is about 1.5 times more likely to get it compared to White non-Hispanic Americans. Many are less likely to be diagnosed and due to socio-economic conditions, their families struggle to find help. That’s where researchers such as Dr. Angela Massey Hill comes in. As program manager for WE-CARE, Hill recruits patients with diverse backgrounds to take part in Alzheimer’s research. She’s been investigating dementia risk factors among minority patients for nearly a decade. WE-CARE ..read more