Alzheimer Mexico - Learn and Act

October 2016 Report Alzheimer Learn and Act GlobalGiving

During this period from August through October, on the one side we offer integral care to persons suffering from any kind of dementia, being Alzheimer’s disease the most frequent form, but there are also other types of dementia like vascular dementia or the mixed one, mentioning only some of the different forms; on the other hand we continued to spread the word about Alzheimer’s and dementia among the population of Mexico-City where are about 70,000 families living with one member who has dementia.

Activities in our Day Care Center do aim at stimulation all day long, from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m., from Monday through Friday. All activities are designed to let the patients participate in the most diverse range of stimulation: physical activation, cognitive workshops, dancing, music therapy, painting, pet therapy, sensitive perception, and most over every kind of celebration and parties: from birthday to Independence Day to Grandpa’s (and Grandma’s) Day and Dead’s Day…

We like to invite you to know a little bit more about these activities and celebrations, as you can see from the pictures…

On August 28, we celebrate in Mexico the Day for the Grandparents. Thus, this day we had a special visit at our Day Care Center. TV Azteca, a national television channel, visited the elder people with dementia on their day. They brought cupcakes for each grandma and grandpa, as well as some gifts, but what the grandparents liked most was the show they brought with several singers and a music group, so that they had a very special day, dancing, laughing, and enjoying their gifts. We really appreciate the continuous support from TV Azteca!

On behalf of our public awareness raising events, we carried out another one on September 10^th. This September event “Alzheimer’s Learn and Act” took place in the Tlalpan Delegation, nearby our Day Care Center. As usual, we had a lot of activities for the people coming in, like workshops with recycled materials (pet, and empty rolls of toilet paper) where people could learn certain techniques of manual arts. Also, we offered concrete examples how to care about an elder person and Ursula, our mannequin model, was used to show how to wash her or to bring her from one to the other side in bed. The highlight was, without any doubt, the special dancing performance; a group of retired workers from the National Telephone Company delighted us with their “Danzon” (famous Mexican regional dance). Thanks to all of them!

The National Independence Day on September 15 is another good reason for having a big party at our Day Care Center. The patients really enjoy to wear a costume according to the date, and our staff members put the decoration this day with the national colors (green, white and red), and even our kitchen personnel collaborate by preparing green, white and red water (lemon, horchata – rice water-, and jamaica – hibiscus flower)! Obviously they were dancing all morning long.

The last party during these three months period was the celebration of the Dead’s Day we did on October 31^st; traditionally it takes place on November 2^nd, but as it is a holiday, we did it previously. All family and staff members, as well as our students, participated in putting together the huge offering for the dead, where they placed fruits, pictures, chocolates and favorite food, as well as candles, water and salt, because we do believe in Mexico that during this night the beloved souls passed away return to spend some time with their family, and they need to recover from the long journey.

Also, our patients were dressed by their family members with special clothes for the day and the celebration where we shared the bread for the dead and a hot chocolate!

Please do not forget to tune into our weekly radio program on internet Alzheimer Aprende y Actúa (Alzheimer’s Learn and Act), every Tuesday from 13 to 14 hours (Mexico City time) on www.radioapyt.com