Virtual Candlelight vigil/rally for Alzheimer's

You can light a virtual candle for a loved one with Alzheimer's for free (or with a small donation...come on, make a small donation) at the Alzheimer's Association website.
My dad's candle is here.  It says, "Miss you, Dad.  Enjoy the Elsewhere Bar and be kind to the Newbies."

From the site:

On the evening of March 7, 2010, advocates will gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, share their stories and light candles in honor of loved ones. This moving ceremony is part of the Alzheimer's Association annual Alzheimer's Action Summit. Show your support by lighting a virtual candle now and becoming an Alzheimer's champion. You will be able to write a personal message that will appear on this site.

If you are on FACEBOOK, the Alzheimer's Association is asking you to put this as your status:

More than 5,000,000 people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s disease. If you have been touched by this disease or know someone who has, please post this as your status and use your VOICE in the fight to end Alzheimer’s.

a note from my dad

I've just started a massive cleaning/purging of my house, which is badly needed.   I'm not to the point where I need to call in a cleaning show, but it's not great either.   I'm trying to be relentless when throwing and donating and selling, but it's hard.  Things of sentimental value that are just clutter...what does one do with them? I know they are not the person and not the memory.  But I also don't want to end up in a house full of clutter and trash either.
I made the hard decision to throw out the roses from my dad's memorial service. I have two vases that the flowers were in, and those are useful (and used).  My friend, who is helping, took a few petals and saved those in a shadow box with a butterfly picture because she thought I should have kept them.
I found a little decorative plate my dad gave me, with a bird on it.  For some reason I turned it over.  And there was a note on the back.  Obviously it's always been there and maybe I read it before, but it surprised me to see my dad's handwriting.  There is nothing overtly affectionate in the note, which says:  "Made by Bavano of Cheshire.  Brumm enameled copper. Originally made about 30 years ago in Cheshire.  Hand signed by the artist."  It's the thought behind it, that not only did he buy me this pretty little bird plate, but he took the time to write down its history.   That's how my dad showed affection, he didn't go around hugging and kissing people or leaving mushy notes.
Do I need this plate?  It is not useful.  It is clutter.  It is a dust catcher.  But it's cute.  And it has a note from my dad on the back.
The plate stays.
And since I had the note, I looked up the company.   I think it's Bovano.  There is nothing like this plate on their website but it seems to be a similar process. 

30 days in jail for stealing Alzhiemer's Patient's home....

This is the most disgusting thing I have ever read.  Two women preyed on a 93-year old Alzheimer's patient in New York. They stole his house and left him homeless.  They received a whopping 30 DAYS in jail.
What?
Basically they forged his name, saying he had sold them the house.  Then THEY sold the house and kept the money.  They also forged his name and refinanced other properties he owned, keeping the mortgage money.  
Words cannot convey my sense of outrage.  Nor can I understand how anyone could be such a scumbag.
Happy Thanksgiving, right?

(screenprint of original)

Alzheimer's Association's new Comfort Zone program for finding the lost

The Alzheimer's Association has a new GPS-based program to help find dementia patients who wander.  It seems like an upgrade to the Safe Return program, which I purchased for my dad.  (I still have his bracelet--I don't know why I wanted it.)
Rather than try to explain it, here's what they sent me:

The Alzheimer's Association Comfort Zone™, powered by Omnilink, is the first comprehensive location management system designed specifically for Alzheimer’s, giving people with the disease more freedom and independence in their community while providing their family some peace of mind.  Comfort Zone is a Web-based application that works with various location devices throughout the progression of the disease to proactively communicate the location of the person with Alzheimer’s within two to 30 minutes.  Comfort Zone also offers families assistance with 24/7 monitoring center services and access to emergency health records from the MedicAlert Foundation.

The price of the Comfort Zone service packages varies, beginning at $42.99 a month with a $45.00 activation fee, similar to most cell phone services.  For more information about Comfort Zone please see the attached press release and fact sheets.  You can also visit the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org/comfortzone. 

At first I was like, $42 a month!  The bracelet I bought my dad was a 1-time $45 fee!  (I think that's changed now, to a per year fee, but I could be wrong.)  Then I reread the most important phrase:

communicate the location of the person with Alzheimer’s within two to 30 minutes

No driving around aimlessly.  No having squadrons of police offices searching.   It doesn't matter if it's dark or cold, GPS will find your loved one.  If that's not worth $42 a month, I don't know what is.  I only had to search for my dad twice--and yes, it was dark and cold one of those time--and while I was driving around, my cell phone illegally in hand, I would have paid any amount of money to just find my dad safe.

(Image from the Comfort Zone web site.)

Alzheimer's clinical trial in Pennsylvania

This study will evaluate an investigational medication for behavior and personality changes in people with Alzheimer's disease.
The research site is in Norristown, Penn.
 http://www.clinicalconnection.com/clinical_trials/condition/alzheimers_disease.aspx.