Karen Heger’s mother was once a shrewd business woman who could out-negotiate almost anyone and was a staunch advocate for equal education for all. She was also a deeply devoted wife, mother and grandmother. On Mother’s Day 2023, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. By that time, Karen and her family had already been navigating her mother’s cognitive decline for years. Their lack of knowledge about the disease left them “ill-prepared for the dramatic turn the disease took shortly after diagnosis.” After a particularly tough visit with her parents, Karen felt lost and didn’t know where to turn to for help. Then she recalled that the Alzheimer’s Association had a free, 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900).“I connected with a person who helped me see I was not helpless. And she gave me the tools to take action.” Karen attended her first Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Fall 2023. Facing the disease was still very new to her, but she “felt like every single person who I looked at, and who looked back at me, was bound to one another by this common thread.” Now, Karen volunteers as a local gala committee member and an advocate. “When I was hopeless, the Association and volunteers helped me understand I am not alone. I am intent on paying that forward. Helping others know they are not alone means everything to me.” Join Karen in taking action by volunteering today: alz.org/volunteer. #AAPIMonth #ENDALZ (fb)

Dennis, Mike and Jim forged a friendship on a common thread. All of them are living with younger-onset dementia. The three men found each other in an Alzheimer's Association support group and became lifelines to one another. Instead of letting the disease define them, they chose hope and found the impossible—optimism. They dubbed themselves The Optimistics as a dedication to their newfound mindset. Inspired by their friendship and approach to life, author Richie Frieman wrote a memoir called “The Optimistics,” a collection of stories featuring individuals living with younger-onset dementia and their care partners. Learn more about The Optimistics: bit.ly/optimisticsblog. (fb)