George Ackerman Advocates for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness to Honor His Mother’s Memory

May 22, 2024 10:00 am

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Hello ,

Many of us are called to care. Some of us continue to care after our journeys have ended, sharing our stories and working on behalf of others still on the journey. When George Ackerman's beloved mother, Sharon, was diagnosed with Parkinson's' Disease, and later Parkinson's-related dementia, he set out to learn everything he could about it and became, along with his wife, Grether, her primary caregiver. After her death, he wanted to share what he'd learned with others and became an advocate for PD awareness, building a website, launching two podcasts, and writing a book. His organization, togetherforsharon®, offers a wealth of information for those on a PD journey. He is determined to erase the stigma that often surrounds this diagnosis, and provides a support network for the one million families it impacts.

George writes:

In my despair, I discovered a new, unwavering strength. After my job duties, I devoted myself to researching books and articles, searching throughout the Internet, consulting with medical professionals, and advocating. Yes, these efforts helped me deal with my grief, but they also helped me learn about the complexities of Parkinson’s and attendant illnesses, like dementia, the latest research, and the stories of countless others touched by the disease. This work brought into my life a whole new world of inspiring individuals who were also fighting and never giving up until we find a cure.

Learn more about George

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Catch up with last week's author

Sherri says:

By breaking life into seven areas of wellness (Physical, Emotional, Social, Intellectual, Environmental, Financial and Spiritual), I write about small things you can do in these areas combining neuroscience and nature to create life-balance and more joy, even if challenged with the time poverty of caregiving responsibilities.

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Kindle now available for preorder! A collection of poetry on the dementia journey from AlzAuthors. Here you will find a variety of voices writing from different stages of caregiving: pre-diagnosis, after the diagnosis, years of care, end of life, and beyond. You will encounter voices from the many different caregiving situations: caring for a spouse or partner, a mother, father, grandparent, or sibling. You will experience the pain, fear, and joy that accompanies a dementia diagnosis, as well as the love and the loss. In Kindle and paperback on Amazon. Coming soon to other online booksellers.

Pre-order now!

RSVP now!

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Our Next AlzAuthors Live! is Today!

Please join us for an AlzAuthors Live! virtual panel discussion on LGBTQ+ Caregiver Concerns on Wednesday, May 22 at 6 pm EST. We’ll talk about the unique needs and issues of LGBTQ+ caregivers, including family of origin vs. family of choice, stigma and discrimination, legal issues, and location location location! because where you live may dictate what kind of experience you’re going to have. We’ll also touch on current events and the threats to LGBTQ+ rights. There’s a lot to cover in an hour. Presented with our partners at Kensington Senior Living.

Details and Registration

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May's Book Club Read

Join us on May 28th at 7pm EST when we discuss Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia by AlzAuthors founder and manager Vicki Tapia.

Description: Navigating the waters of dementia can be frightening, unleashing a myriad of emotions for everyone involved. After Vicki Tapia’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, followed closely by her father with Parkinson’s disease-related dementia, she struggled to find practical, helpful information to light her way. Somebody Stole My Iron began as a diary to help her cope, but emerged as a road map for others. It offers a glimpse into her family's life as they rode the waves of dementia, sometimes sailing, other times capsizing. This engaging memoir offers useful information from experts within the field of Alzheimer's research, personal lessons the author learned along the way, and ideas and tips for managing the day-to-day ups and downs of dementia. Read Vicki's AlzAuthors post.

Remember: it is not necessary to read the book to attend the discussion.

To learn more or to become a member, please visit agingamazing.com.

Register here to get the link to the Zoom meetings.

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We have so much to learn …

On Friday, June 14th at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m ET, University of California Berkeley neurologist Dr. Mark D’Esposito will join Being Patient live talks to discuss how people concerned about Alzheimer’s risk can optimize their brain health and function. He’ll also discuss how neural mechanisms impact cognition to provide context on strategies for improving brain health. D’Esposito’s research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying cognition and how the brain recovers from injury, and he’s the writer/editor of seven books on this subject matter. He has served as President of the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology, Chairman of the International Society for Human Brain Mapping, and editor in chief of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. RSVP to learn more about how you can optimize your brain and improve cognitive function.

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Susan's Design of the Week

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When you are called to care, AlzAuthors is here to offer support, encouragement and insight through hundreds of quality resources for the #Alzheimers and dementia journey. You are not alone! https://alzauthors.com/

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