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Alzheimer's Support Network News |
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August 1998 |
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As I See It . . . From Chuck's Desk Dear Friends, Recently, Suky resigned from an organization she had belonged to for many years. She believed in the organization's goals and was happy to pay the yearly dues and to support their good works. We both enjoyed the newsletters. Yet, she had never attended a meeting or an event that the organization sponsored. Suky's resignation had to do with the organization's announcement that they needed to put a "cap" on the membership number and that there were people on a waiting list. It just didn't seem fair to take up a place when there were potentially active members wanting to belong. The Alzheimer's Support Network is very different from the organization from which Suky resigned. There are no yearly dues, no limit on the membership numbers and no one waiting to belong. Yet, some of you feel the way Suky did. You call and tell us to take your name off the mailing list "so that someone else can receive the newsletter." Or you say, "Take me off the list. I can't come to meetings." I want to reassure you that we do not want you to take yourself off the mailing list for any reason except 1) Alzheimer's disease is behind you and you do not wish to be reminded of it or 2) You toss the newsletter without reading it (which eliminates every one of you who has just read these words. J ) As for membership, we have no dues, but consider each one of you who receives this letter to be a member. Our newsletters are sent to people across the country and we are happy to send them (free of charge of course) to anyone who would like to receive them. What about attending meetings? We recognize that distance makes this impossible for many of you. There are, however, over 1300 families in the Naples area who receive our mailings. We see only a fraction of you. Often, we wonder why that is! We understand that there are good reasons that make it difficult for you to attend. Our "Club Room," where your loved one can visit with others while you attend a support group meeting, addresses one of those reasons. While we do not judge you in any way for not attending meetings, we do wonder if there is some way that we could help you attend. Did you realize that there is a support group meeting every Tuesday and Thursday and most Fridays? On the first Tuesday of the month, we meet at First Presbyterian Church to hear a speaker. On Fridays, specialized groups meet (see the meeting schedule on the overview site). On the third Wednesday of the month at 5:30 there is a meeting designed for adult children with a parent or in-law with Alzheimer's or a related dementia. Why not give it a try? We'd love to see you! Chuck Pollard In this issue: Support Groups May Surprise You Attitude Makes All the Difference Please click here to continue reading |