Meet Polly, Jack and Linda, they like to sing, laugh and hang out, just like anyone else.
“This is the most non-threatening environment you could ever go to, and everybody here as memory issues. So it’s not like anybody stands out,” said Polly, an Alzheimer’s affected individual.
At Charlie’s Place, people with different forms of dementia, like Alzheimer’s, come together and support each other.
“We all have things that we can’t remember, and that’s why we have each other,” Polly continued.
“Five days a week, from 9 to 3, the affected individual can come and enjoy a very structured day, but also a very purposeful day of activities, music, pet therapy, cooking, things that they enjoy,” said Dana Territo, the Director of Services at the Alzheimer’s Services of the Capital Area. “Alzheimer’s is a debilitating brain disorder that can last from two to 10 years. It’s the only disease, in the top 10 diseases, that have no prevention, maintenance or cure.”
Territo said Charlie’s Place is just one of the many program they have to offer.
“Participate in the memory screenings we’re having every Thursday and Friday until Thanksgiving. We have 20 different locations. We’re collaborating with the YMCAs and the churches in our 10 parish area,” Territo continued.
Territo said services, like Charlie’s Place, helps to break down some of the stigmas people have about Alzheimer’s.
“People tend to think they just shut down, and they’re isolated, but they can have a quality of life,” Territo said. “So we need to remove that stigma or that mindset that people with Alzheimer’s can’t enjoy a quality life because we see it at Charlie’s Place every day.”
If you want to learn more about the free memory screenings or the services, just head to the link below:
alzbr.org