Nearly 400,000 New Yorkers have Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter encourages everyone to learn the facts about Alzheimer’s disease and its impact on individuals and families by taking part in events during the month of June as it commemorates Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month.
“Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month is our chance to not only raise the level of concern for the Alzheimer’s crisis, but pay tribute to the more than 1,000,000 Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers living in New York State,” said Catherine James, chief executive officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter.
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month culminates in The Longest Day on June 21. Held annually on the summer solstice, The Longest Day symbolizes the challenging journey of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Participants will do what they love – biking, hiking, playing bridge, swimming, knitting and more – to honor a caregiver, someone living with Alzheimer’s, or someone lost to this devastating disease.
“The Longest Day is about love,” James said. “It’s about doing what we love for the people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia that we love.”
Individuals and teams from across Central New York have created events to honor those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and many of them are open to the public:
- In Cazenovia, Empire Farm Brewery will host Solstice Flow, a yoga event on the brewery floor, on June 21, 33 Rippleton Rd. Visit empirebrew.comto register.
- In Owego, Tioga Opportunities will play pickleball at sunrise at its office, 9 Sheldon Guile Blvd., on June 21. Contact: Christine Shaver, cshaver@tiogaopp.org.
- In Watertown, Seniors Helping Seniors will host Duathlon, with a 5K run and 10-mile bike ride, on June 17beginning at Stone Presbyterian Church, 140 Chestnut St. Contact: Joanne Nugent-Ward at joanne@shsnny.com.
- In Waverly, Elderwood at Waverly will host Paint the Valley Purple, a 5K run, on June 17. The run begins on its campus, 37 N. Chemung St. Contact: Nicole Uhl at nuhl@elderwood.com.
Additionally, local businesses have partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise concern and awareness for the disease throughout Central New York in June:
- The Syracuse skyline will turn purple during June, as the AXA and Barclay Damon Towers will be lit the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement for the entire month. National Grid’s Downtown Syracuse building will light up purple for the week of June 18-24.
- Empire Brewing Company will release a batch of its limited edition Deep Purple beer, a pilsner brewed with New York State grown Concord grapes, at both its Armory Square brewpub, 120 Walton St., Syracuse, and Farm Brewery, 33 Rippleton Rd., Cazenovia. Empire will donate $2 from each pint sold at both locations to the Alzheimer’s Association.
- Bankers Life insurance agents will sell forget-me-not seeds in Syracuse and Watertown as part of its 14th annual Forget Me Not Days on June 2 and 3. Agents will be at Destiny USA, in front of the Disney Store on the first floor, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and at Salmon Run Mall’s food court from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Since 2003, Bankers Life agents and employees have raised $4.5 million for the Alzheimer’s Association.
- Toyota Motor Sales New York Region will help raise awareness and funds for care, support and research through its Toyota Care project. Customers who donate at least $10 at alz.org/toyotacareswill receive a $15 coupon for use on their next service visit at participating Toyota Service Centers.