from the president


Stories of Alzheimer’s show hope and love


I


t’s something that we all worry about as we age. You reach your car


and realize you left your keys on the counter. You walk out of your office and stop in the doorway, wondering exactly where you were going. You stop at the grocery store to buy bread, milk and eggs and only remember you forgot the eggs when you arrive home.


We often chalk up forgetfulness to just getting older, but for an increasing number of seniors memory loss is more than that. It’s often one of a group of diseases that include Alzheimer’s and other related dementia that change and even take away life as we know it.


Alzheimer’s is one of the fastest- growing diseases in the United States, affecting an estimated 5.4 million people. One in eight seniors has Alzheimer’s, making it the most common form of dementia. The disease is the sixth leading cause of death among all ages in the United States. There is no known cause, cure or prevention. For The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, it is one of our greatest challenges while also being an area where we can truly make a difference in people’s lives.


By 2050, it’s projected that as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease, in part due to the aging baby boomer population. As we live longer, the disease becomes more and more likely to strike.


While medical advances to slow (and hopefully someday cure) the disease are important, equally necessary are calming environments such as special care units and the ways we train staff to care for those with the disease, all the while remembering that – more than any other – these individuals need to feel loved, valued and at peace.


Our special care units are tranquil places where those who may not even remember their loved one’s faces or names can feel the caring words and touch of our staff members. In these places, our mission of sharing God’s love in word and deed truly comes alive.


Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the national offices of the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago. I was impressed with their untiring efforts to reach out and support the individuals and families affected by this disease. They are a tremendous resource for patients and caregivers. As president and CEO of the Good


David J. Horazdovsky President and


Chief Executive Officer of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society


Samaritan Society, I carry a high sense of responsibility to be attentive to the nearly 1,000 persons we care for every day within the Society with this disease. We join the Alzheimer’s Association in finding the best ways to support and care for those who walk this lonely path, and together we can help make a difference in the lives of those who are on this unplanned journey.


I encourage you to take a few minutes and read the articles on Alzheimer’s and dementia in this edition of The Good Samaritan magazine. While the diseases themselves may be frightening, the stories show that there is always hope and love even in the most difficult of times.


In Christ,


David J. Horazdovsky


The Good Samaritan • 2011 • Vol. 45 • No. 2


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