With live music filling the air, attendees sampled chili from six competitors.

On Friday afternoon, July 16, residents and staff of Aegis Living Ventura, a local assisted living and memory care community, gathered with partners, friends, and family members for a chili cook-off to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association and their Longest Day initiative.

The Longest Day is a yearly fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association, centered on the summer solstice and longest day of the year on June 20. Supporters from around the globe ban together to raise funds at events like the chili cook-off. Proceeds from the Aegis Living event went directly to support the Association’s California Central Coast Chapter.

“Today was a proud moment for our community,” shared Sam EL-Rabaa, Aegis Living Ventura’s general manager. “To see the outpouring of support for the Alzheimer’ Association from our community partners, families, residents, and public was so uplifting, but the best part was seeing how much residents were enjoying themselves.”

With live music filling the air, attendees sampled chili from six competitors: Ventura Post Acute, Coastal View Health Care, Assisted Home Health and Hospice, Mission Home Health and Hospice, Oakhurst Hospice, and Aegis Living. Each competitor decorated their own table and tent, and many residents got into the spirit, wearing festive costumes and dancing to the music.

“We had a great turnout today,” said Denise Tyner, chili competitor from Ventura Post Acute. “We’re proud to be associated with this event and the attention it brings to the Alzheimer’s Association.”

Assisted Home Health and Hospice took home the “Best Chili” trophy, with Aegis Living’s Mary Sawyer snagging the “Best Presentation” award thanks to her creative table décor.

The event was a rousing success. The initial fundraising goal of $500 was almost doubled by the end of the day, with nearly $1,000 raised for the Alzheimer’s Association. Plans are already underway to make the chili cook-off into an annual event.

“Today was amazing,” said Sawyer. “It was a day of celebrating not just the fact that we are getting back to normal, but also celebrating those residents living with Alzheimer’s and offering support to our families.”

All in attendance, especially Aegis Living residents, couldn’t have been happier to be out and about, and for such a great cause.

A caregiver, sometimes referred to as a caretaker, refers to anyone who provides care for another person. Millions of people living in the United States take care of a friend or family member with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Sometimes caregivers live with the person or nearby, other times they live far away. For many families, caring for a person with dementia isn’t just one person’s job, but the role of many people who share tasks and responsibilities. No matter what kind of caregiver you are, taking care of another person can be overwhelming at times. These tips and suggestions may help with everyday care and tasks.

Early on in Alzheimer’s and related dementias, people experience changes in thinking, remembering, and reasoning in a way that affects daily life and activities. Eventually, people with these diseases will need more help with simple, everyday tasks. This may include bathing, grooming, and dressing. It may be upsetting to the person to need help with such personal activities. Here are a few tips to consider early on and as the disease progresses:

Try to keep a routine, such as bathing, dressing, and eating at the same time each day.

Help the person write down to-do lists, appointments, and events in a notebook or calendar.

Plan activities that the person enjoys and try to do them at the same time each day.

Consider a system or reminders for helping those who must take medications regularly.

When dressing or bathing, allow the person to do as much as possible.

Buy loose-fitting, comfortable, easy-to-use clothing, such as clothes with elastic waistbands, fabric fasteners, or large zipper pulls instead of shoelaces, buttons, or buckles.

Use a sturdy shower chair to support a person who is unsteady and to prevent falls. You can buy shower chairs at drug stores and medical supply stores.

Be gentle and respectful. Tell the person what you are going to do, step by step while you help them bathe or get dressed.

Serve meals in a consistent, familiar place and give the person enough time to eat.

Communication can be hard for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias because they have trouble remembering things. They also can become agitated and anxious, even angry. In some forms of dementia, language abilities are affected such that people have trouble finding the right words or have difficulty speaking. You may feel frustrated or impatient, but it is important to understand that the disease is causing the change in communication skills. To help make communication easier, you can:

Reassure the person. Speak calmly. Listen to his or her concerns and frustrations. Try to show that you understand if the person is angry or fearful.

Allow the person to keep as much control in his or her life as possible.

Respect the person’s personal space.

Build quiet times into the day, along with activities.

Keep well-loved objects and photographs around the house to help the person feel more secure.

Remind the person who you are if he or she doesn’t remember, but try not to say, “Don’t you remember?”

Encourage a two-way conversation for as long as possible.

Try distracting the person with an activity, such as a familiar book or photo album, if you are having trouble communicating with words.

Share any symptoms you have

A symptom is evidence of a disease or disorder in the body. Examples of symptoms include pain, fever, a lump or bump, unexplained weight loss or gain, or having a hard time sleeping.

Be clear and concise when describing your symptoms. Your description helps the doctor identify the problem. A physical exam and medical tests provide valuable information, but your symptoms point the doctor in the right direction.

Your doctor will ask when your symptoms started, what time of day they happen, how long they last (seconds? days?), how often they occur, if they seem to be getting worse or better, and if they keep you from going out or doing your usual activities.

Take the time to make some notes about your symptoms before you call or visit the doctor. Worrying about your symptoms is not a sign of weakness. Being honest about what you are experiencing doesn’t mean that you are complaining. The doctor needs to know how you feel.

To provide the best care, your doctor must understand you as a person and know what your life is like. The doctor may ask about where you live, what you eat, how you sleep, what you do each day, what activities you enjoy, what your sex life is like, and if you smoke or drink. Be open and honest with your doctor. It will help him or her to understand your medical conditions fully and recommend the best treatment choices for you.

Your health has a big impact on other parts of your life. Your doctor may ask you how your life is going. This isn’t being impolite or nosy. Information about what’s happening in your life may be useful medically. Let the doctor know about any major changes or stresses in your life, such as a divorce or the death of a loved one. You don’t have to go into detail; you may want to say something like: “It might be helpful for you to know that my sister passed away since my last visit with you,” or “I recently had to sell my home and move in with my daughter.”

The coronavirus pandemic and physical distancing requirements can also bring about feelings of loneliness and social isolation. These feelings are associated with higher risk for depression, anxiety, and heart disease. It is important to let your doctor know when these feelings occur and how often.

You may have some concerns or wishes about your care if you become seriously ill. If you have questions about what choices you have, ask your doctor. You can specify your desires through legal documents called advance directives. In general, the best time to talk with your doctor about these issues is while you are still relatively healthy. Medicare and private health insurance may cover these discussions with your doctor. One way to bring up the subject is to say: “I’m worried about what would happen in the hospital if I were very sick and not likely to get better. Can you tell me what generally happens in that case?