Walk for Alzheimer’s at Antelope Park shares awareness

Thousands in the community walked together for one common cause, to find a cure and end Alzheimers disease. 

Participants agree they walk for a loved one in mind.

Donna lost her father to Alzheimers 10 months ago.

“Taking care of dad with my mom, it was exhausting emotionally and physically and it’s a devastating disease. It really is, you’re literally watching your loved one day–by–day, bit–by–bit, dissolve in front of you,” Purple Profile of Courage Member, Donna Standing-Smith said. 

Hannah lost her grandmother to Alzheimers 25 years ago when the disease was still a bit confusing, calling the symptoms just senile behavior. 

“Things now that are such a hallmark sign of dementia and Alzheimer’s that we didn’t know at that time so touched me at a very early age and then grew up and worked with this population and it’s my life’s mission now,” Woodlands at Hillcrest Assistant Living and Memory Care Community in Lincoln, Hannah Elliott said. 

While the research grows each year, these are the steps we can take if we know someone with these diseases.

“Let them be, if they want to take that step, then walk with them, give them that support, the love and the encouragement, and smiles, the patient needs all of that,” Standing-Smith said. 

“Focus on the person that remains and the memory that they do have, versus infantilizing them, or focusing on the things that they’re not able to do. We really focus on what they can do as a person,” Elliott said. 

They say the entire movement is part funding and part awareness.

“It’s proactive in trying to eradicate the illness, but overall, i think it’s a community supporting each other and that’s very important because this is 24/7. It never stops,” Elliott said. 

And like others worldwide, this walk in Lincoln is a critical step down the path in the Alzheimers fighting community…

The walk today has made nearly 151 thousand dollars alone.

#walktoendAlzheimers today!