Walk to End Alzheimer’s personal events are returning

DAYTON, Ohio – Five in-person Walk to End Alzheimer’s events will be held in the Miami Valley this year to help raise awareness about the disease.

In the past year, almost 2,000 more people with dementia died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Alzheimer’s Association in Ohio.

In addition, the pandemic has placed an additional burden on caregivers who do not see their relatives in long-term care facilities for months or services such as domestic help and day care services for adults for fear of their relatives being infected with COVID. officials said.

“This year has been extremely stressful for everyone, and that’s why our efforts to raise funds to care for and support local families are so important,” said Karen Carter, vice president of development for the Miami Valley Alzheimer’s Association, in a press release. “This Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be very special because we now have Alzheimer’s treatment and can come together to help each other.”

Carter said officials decided to hold face-to-face events this year as having a face-to-face meeting “enables an exceptionally moving experience that can be achieved when COVID restrictions are relaxed”.

More than 30,000 people in the Miami Valley are living with the fatal progressive brain disease and care for 100,000 families and friends, officials said.

The dates for this year’s hikes are:

• Miami County Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease – September 18
• Shelby County Walk to Alzheimer’s End – September 25th
• Darke County Walk to End Alzheimer’s – September 25th
• The Springfield / Urbana Walk to End Alzheimer’s – October 2nd
• Dayton Walk to Alzheimer’s End – October 9th

On the day of the walk, the participants will honor Alzheimer’s sufferers with the Promise Garden ceremony, which, according to a press release, means solidarity in the fight against the disease.

The colors of the Promise Garden flowers represent people’s connection to Alzheimer’s – their personal reasons for quitting the disease, according to a press release.

For more information on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in the Miami Valley, please visit here.