By Regina Altena | Project Leader
We are reporting the project activities, carried out from November 2016 through January 2017.
First, all beneficiaries, family members, staff and board member want to wish you a very happy and successful New Year!
During the last months, we had many activities as usual before the Holiday season. Some of those events were the following ones:
The first November week took place the 24th World Volunteer Conference in Mexico City at the World Trade Center where Alzheimer Mexico achieved to be a presenter. The director Regina Altena shared the experience of mobilizing volunteers for 10 huge public events (Alzheimer’s Learn and Act) on squares and on the Mexico City Zocalo with 44,000 people attending, and of getting more people involved in raising awareness about Alzheimer´s.
During 2016, Alzheimer Mexico IAP also carried out six training courses of trainers. Two hundred ten women (trainers) from the Mexico City government, who oversee 600 elder peoples’ homes each, received basic training at our Day Care Center about how to recognize, deal with and take care of persons with dementia. The Minister for Social Development in Mexico City leaded the official ceremony where these trainers received their certificates.
The traditional end of the year gathering with all patients, families and donors took place on December 1 in our Day Care Center. Family members expressed their gratitude to the Board and staff members of Alzheimer Mexico about the very professional care services they received all over the year, and enjoyed very much the meals and amenities the staff prepared for them. The chair of the Board, Lilia Groues del Mazo reiterated in her speech the main achievements, and the recognition of the quality of the services the staff provides. The patients were very happy to share these joyful moments with their family members.
Early Monday morning of December 5, the Old Municipality Palace of Mexico City was full of journalists and invited persons to be present at the official launching ceremony of the Mexico City Campaign called “My memories”. In presence of the mayor of Mexico City, Dr. Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa, persons over 65 years old received a picture, which showed them with an image of them as a younger person and as they are now. This campaign aims at recovering and saving former memories. In addition, the mayor announced the building of a 24 hours caring home for persons with dementia.
One of the traditional celebrations during the Holiday season in Mexico is the “Posada” (A "posada navideña" is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem where the Christ child was later born) where one group of people represent Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay. So, this group outside is pledging and knocking at the door in order that the group inside allows them to enter the house and to stay. All the patients participate very fervently in this celebration!
50 Nursery students from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH)State University of Hidalgo, a nearby federal state of Mexico, spent an entire day with the patients and the staff of our Day Care Center. They brought in and developed with the patients different activities such as dancing, laughter therapy, and plays. We deeply appreciate the commitment of students and teachers! Thank you so much for all the fun and joy!
As every January 6 celebration (Three Kings’ Day), we shared with all the patients, board and staff members the Rosca de Reyes, traditional King cake, and who finds a little doll (king) in its piece of cake, has to bring tamales on February 2! Therefore, we are waiting for many tamales…
The students from the National Nursery School, who spent several months with us fulfilling their professional practices, organized a good-bye fest, appearing as the Three Kings with cake and gifts for the elder people. Thank you very much, as well as all our donors for sharing with us time, talent and resources! You are all doing great, making the difference and a long-lasting impact in the lives of the persons with dementia!
Please stay tuned for 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
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
