Residents walk to end Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

NOVI — A sea of purple shirts flooded the trail near Rose Senior Living Providence Park at 2 p.m. June 21 as residents, staff and members of the community kicked off the long, hot days of summer with a walk to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

“This cause here is very near and dear to our hearts, because we have almost 30 residents here in our community who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and or dementia,” said Rose Senior Living Providence Park Executive Director Taylor Darby. “Not only that, we also have residents who are impacted by this disease in our assisted living or independent living house.”

This was the first time that Rose Senior Living Providence Park had held an Alzheimer’s awareness walk. Known as “Alzheimer’s Longest Day,” walks are held annually on the summer solstice, as it is the day with the most daylight, in an effort to “shine a light” on the disease as well as raise funds to go toward research for a cure.

“Every year we do this on the summer solstice, because we want to shed light and help eradicate the darkness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” said Kathryn Ribant Payne, of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Approximately 100 people participated in the event, which featured the option of a 1-mile walk or run on the wetland trails around Rose Senior Living Providence Park, or a shorter walk of 0.35 miles around the campus buildings. Staff was manning the barbecue, serving free hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, as well as chips, water and pop. An ice cream stand was available to give participants a sweet way to cool down after the walk.

“I thought it was good,” said Darby. “A lot of family members and residents walked the long path, which was exciting to me.”

In total, the event raised just shy of $11,000. Darby, along with members of her staff and staff from Ascension Providence, presented a check for $10,800 to the Alzheimer’s Association just prior to the walk. Those who donated were given a commemorative purple metal water bottle and drink cozy. The color purple is representative of the disease.

Ribant Payne said the funds raised will provide care and support for those who suffer from the disease, as well as for those who are caring for someone with the disease. She said the funds will also go toward advancing the organization’s research on the disease. According to Ribant Payne, the Alzheimer’s Association is the top private funder of research to find a cure for the disease in the world.

“We really want to realize our Alzheimer’s Association vision, which is a world without Alzheiemer’s and other dementia,” she said. “So the funds you raised will go directly towards that research so, hopefully, we get there one day.”

Rose Senior Living Providence Park residents Bill and Jane Balwinski said they participated in the event because they live on the grounds and they have seen the effects that Alzheimer’s disease has had on others.

“I’ve been acquainted enough to the problems that these people have,” said Bill Balwinski. “We think it’s a very, very important thing, and a very localized situation. Yes, we have no problem with doing something like this around us. It’s a good cause.”