Day of service for dementia

Today, in addition to the presidential inauguration and the federal Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, is designated as a day of service. In the spirit of MLK, everyone is encouraged to go out into their communities and help those in need.

Participating in events like this can be difficult if you are a full-time family caregiver. Certainly when you are caring for someone with dementia, they cannot be left alone for even a minute. And while those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s might be comfortable attending a day of service event, others might feel overwhelmed. Financially, things may be difficult as well, so financial donations may be out of the question.

My feeling is that as caregivers, we are providing a day of service EVERY day. So don’t feel guilty if you can’t actively participate today.

There are volunteer opportunities with the major dementia organizations. There are many more volunteer opportunities on a local level. Do what you can. Promote the needs of the Alzheimer’s and dementia communities as best as you can.

The most important thing is to have a voice for those who can no longer express themselves.