Pleasant Meadow uses annual picnic to support Alzheimer Society

$130 raised by book sale and 50-50 draw

September 27, 2012 -- Deron Hamel

Pleasant Meadow Manor life enrichment co-ordinator Chris Garden was thinking outside the box when she decided to merge the Norwood long-term care home’s annual community picnic with World Alzheimer’s Day on Sept. 21.

Each year at this time the home lights up the barbecue and offers free food to the people of Norwood, and Garden thought this would be a great venue to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease while providing a forum for people to enjoy themselves in a community atmosphere.

With the help of a used-book sale and a 50-50 draw, the community picnic raised $130 for the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Garden also used in- and out-of-home engagement to draw a crowd to Pleasant Meadow Manor that day.

“We mailed out invitations to all the businesses in the area, and our reeve of the town (Doug Pearcy) was here, as well as some former volunteers, current volunteers and family members,” she says.

Cool weather resulted in a smaller-than-expected turnout that day, says Garden, however, about 25 visitors came for the picnic.

World Alzheimer’s Day is held internationally every Sept. 21 to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. An estimated 500,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer’s disease, which has no known cure.

The progressive neurologic disease also affects many long-term care home residents, including people living at Pleasant Meadow Manor.

September is also World Alzheimer’s Month. Click here for more information.

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