To the Editor:
I applaud The Post-Standard for your Jan. 5, 2020, cover story (“Alzheimer’s forces parents to resume old and familiar role”) which calls attention to the needs of people with the young-onset form of Alzheimer’s. Dan Camp and his parents, Joyce and Dave Camp, also deserve our respect and gratitude for coming forward to publicly share their story. There is so much stigma connected to Alzheimer’s disease and other related conditions that many prefer to keep their condition hidden to the extent that they can. And the wonderful, accompanying photograph puts a younger face to this form of Alzheimer’s — a disease that many only associate with frail, much older adults.
Dan and his family beautifully reflect the power of helping someone with Alzheimer’s stay physically active and remain engaged in their community, supported by loved ones. But they also shine a light on the added challenge of finding a peer group, and the risk of feeling isolated, when you don’t know other middle-aged adults who are also facing cognitive challenges.
Dan’s story refreshingly departs from the typical narrative around Alzheimer’s disease: that from the moment of diagnosis there is only a downward slope or the so-called “long good-bye.” As the daughter, granddaughter and niece of loved ones who have died from Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, I readily understand that side of dementia. But as a professional who has spent the last 25 years working with people with early memory loss, I also know that there is another equally important and more optimistic narrative that is rarely mentioned: No matter the diagnosis, we have the ability to help people like Dan live their lives fully, to make valuable connections with others similarly affected by cognitive changes, and maintain or gain confidence and hope.
Several years ago, individuals much like Dan helped Syracuse Jewish Family Service (SJFS) recognize the gap in local services and motivated us to embark on a mission of developing programs for persons with early memory loss. Today, SJFS offers a wide-range of psychoeducational, arts-based, and brain health services specifically for adults experiencing early memory loss. If you or someone you love is experiencing early memory loss, please know that you are not alone, and there are services in Central New York to help you!
Ellen Somers, MA, LMHC
Assistant Director
Syracuse Jewish Family Service
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