Kate Dyer-Seeley » Press

Care for Caregivers

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:17:01 +0000

(This picture is an oldie but goodie)While November is officially National Family Caregivers Month, the first few weeks of January have seen a surge in caregiver stories in the national media. This incredible feature in the New York Times is a must read, especially coupled with news that came out late last week highlighting the fact that husbands caring for ailing wives are at great risk for strokes.

The Alzheimer’s Association has seen a 25% increase in calls to the 24/7 Helpline (800-272-3900) from December 2009 through January 2010. At our office in Portland, there’s been a steady stream of family caregivers coming in the doors for support groups, classes, care consultations and to browse our lending library. It’s wonderful to witness people connecting with our programs and services but overwhelming to see how great the need is.

Watching the weathered, anxious faces of caregivers also takes me back to the days of trying to juggle a newborn and help out in caring for my mom. I’m sure the sleep deprivation didn’t help, but there were days that it took every ounce of energy I had to hold it together. And, I was NOT her primary caregiver. That duty went to my father who was working full time in order to cover the cost of medical care. In hindsight, I wish we would have tapped into more services but at the time (like most caregivers) we were just trying to get by. So, to any blog readers out there who are also caregivers please visit www.alz.org, call the Helpline and take care of you too!

Headline News

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:32:32 +0000

One of the ongoing discussions we have at the office is how do we change public opinion about Alzheimer’s disease? It’s a huge challenge, especially given the plethora of misinformation and stereotypes that circulate within the general population and sometimes even the medical community about the disease. Compound that with the debilitating nature of the disease and the fact that families living with Alzheimer’s are under tremendous amounts of stress. From my marketing slant, I know that showcasing the impact Alzheimer’s has on families and its devastating effects is what will eventually change public opinion. One of our 2010 marketing goals is to help give voice to those living with Alzheimer’s. We want people in the early stages sharing their story. This is never a hard sell internally. Getting the media to bite on the other hand is another issue.

Yesterday was a banner day and started with this feature on the front page of the Oregonian, touting the benefits of exercise as a preventative measure in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Then our local CBS affiliate featured a story on participants of our early stage program which tied in to Katie Couric’s feature Where American Stands on Alzheimer’s Disease. Finally, as I tuned in to American Idol (I know it’s a guilty pleasure) they covered a touching story about Katie Steven’s, a young Idol-hopeful whose grandmother has Alzheimer’s. The interaction between Katie and her grandmother were lovely and even Ryan Seacrest teared up when Katie called her grandmother to let her know she was headed to California. MTV is calling her one to watch. Not to worry, I’m already on it and I’ll be watching for more Alzheimer’s coverage this year–helping to change public opinion one story at a time.

Back to the Blog

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Summer vacation officially ended this morning. Gone are lazy mornings lounging in bed reading Ramona Quimby adventures and leisurely afternoons spent swaying in the hammock underneath our peanut butter tree. Gone is the smell of our neighbor’s bar-b-qued shrimp wafting over the fence and sunscreen lathered skin. Summer days that melt into each other are being replaced by beeping alarm clocks, packed lunches on the kitchen counter and the return of routine.

The shift into fall isn’t altogether unwelcome. I’m eager for soup simmering on the stove, crisp leaves cracking under my feet and the smell of damp morning air. I enjoy the fleeting light in the late evening that fades just as our dinner dishes fill the sink. Projects set aside in favor of siestas and weekend getaways beckon me.

So this morning as Luke trotted off to kindergarten with his backpack stuffed with Crayola markers and glue sticks and eyes gleaming with delight over the prospect of hot lunch and recess, I opted to pay a quiet farewell to the halcyon days of summer. I marked this milestone with the return to structure: piles of paper neatly stacked on my desk, a menu mapped out for days ahead, and a well-overdue blog post. It feels surprisingly refreshing and familiar.

Six Sentences of Separation

admin — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:19:51 +0000

[SinglePic not found]Forget six degrees of separation, there were only six sentences of separation from the future president and me today (okay well technically there were fourteen but six sounds better). The Columbian ran a feature about the Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period that I spoke about in Washington D.C. How great is it that the feature ran on the day after Barack Obama’s monumental “AMERICA…THIS is our moment!” speech.

[SinglePic not found]You can read the full article here. I’d like to commend The Columbian for giving this issue top billing, and helping to raise awareness about the multitude of issues families face with this disease. As the old adage goes any press is good press, but press next to an Obama victory is fabulous press!