Good Neighbor Podcast South Charlotte
Bringing Together Local Businesses and Neighbors of South Charlotte.
Good Neighbor Podcast South Charlotte
Ep. # 109 How to Navigate Alzheimer’s Together: Resources and Hope
Join us for a heartfelt conversation about Alzheimer's disease as we explore its profound impact on families and the essential resources available to navigate this challenging journey. Katherine Lambert, the regional VP of the Alzheimer's Association Western Carolina Chapter chapter, shares her personal connection to the cause, shaped by her family's experiences and the motivation it brings to her work. We delve into the role of the Alzheimer's Association in funding crucial research and providing community support, emphasizing the importance of education and accessible resources.
Discover how the Association's helpline assists families, serving as a lifeline during times of confusion and uncertainty. Learn about the upcoming Charlotte Memory Gala, an event designed not only to raise funds but to foster community engagement and support for Alzheimer's research. We also address the significance of workplace support as more individuals find themselves balancing professional responsibilities with caregiving roles.
This episode underscores the vital connections within communities that rise to confront Alzheimer's. By coming together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by this condition. Listen now and find out how you can be part of the solution; together, we can pave the way toward a world free from Alzheimer's. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review!
Western Carolina Chapter
Katherine Lambert
Regional Vice President
(336) 814-3722
www.alz.org/northcarolina
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Regina Lee.
Speaker 2:Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast. I record out of the South Charlotte area and I typically talk to business owners, but I'm really excited today to speak with Catherine Lambert. She is the regional VP of the Alzheimer's Western Carolina chapter, based here in Charlotte and obviously a nonprofit. Welcome, catherine, hi, thank you for having me, of course. So I've worked with you guys over the years and my father had memory care issues, and so this is a topic very near and dear to my heart and many others. Tell us what you do, what your role is and what is the role of the Alzheimer's Chapter Association.
Speaker 3:The Alzheimer's Association is here in local communities to work kind of twofold One to have research funded that really drives us to a place for effective treatments and ultimately, one day, a cure. But in tandem with that we are also working with individuals and families and organizations who have received a diagnosis or have concerns on. You know what are all of the resources and services and ways people can be involved. So it's a really exciting time in this disease because there have been so many advancements in recent years and more to come, and so we just we look for ways to involve the community because this disease is everywhere.
Speaker 2:It is. It touches everyone. How did you personally get involved in this and your why?
Speaker 3:So I came to the association just about 11 years ago and had had various family members who had been impacted by mild cognitive impairment, alzheimer's and other dementias and you know it was a way to combine kind of business opportunities I'd had but with something that was a personal passion as well. And 11 years in I've certainly experienced this journey with with many, many families and it's what motivates each of those individual stories, is what motivates myself and all of our team, you know, to really drive towards those outcomes of a world without Alzheimer's.
Speaker 2:So you guys rely heavily on support and donations, correct?
Speaker 3:We absolutely do, Both individual and corporate and foundation. But yes, that is what fuels most all of our education for families, our 24 hour a day, seven day a week helpline All of those things are free of charge to the community as resources and it is funded through the generosity of others.
Speaker 2:That's amazing. So in a situation where you're a family member and your loved one has been diagnosed, are you a place, then, for us to just pick up the phone and speak to somebody? When you're overwhelmed, you don't know what to do. How does all that work?
Speaker 3:maybe you're concerned about yourself, your spouse, your loved one. You can place that call ahead of time and we can talk through. You know how do you navigate starting that conversation. You can have just received a diagnosis and not really know where to start. You can be on this journey for five years and have had a great plan and now that plan doesn't work and you need maybe in-home services or residential or different doctors or other services. We can help with all of that. So our 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week helpline. It's staffed by master level clinicians and is available all of the time. That number is 1-800-272-3900 and it truly is a lifeline to many.
Speaker 2:So I know you've got a big gala coming up and it's the Charlotte Memory Gala to benefit Alzheimer's research and support. Tell us about the event.
Speaker 3:So this is one of our local signature events. It happens on May 3rd this year at the Westin Charlotte and you know those funds raised go to support that research and our efforts in risk reduction, early detection, but also that care and support we talked about, and it is a it's a really fun evening, but it's a balance of hearing some really powerful stories but also that opportunity for folks to get involved in being a part of the solution, but while also, you know, enjoying some fun of a band, live music, auctions. It's just a fun night.
Speaker 2:So if it's a gala, is it dressy?
Speaker 3:It is. It's black tie optional. We see a little bit of everything. We see a lot of purple, our signature color, and every year we honor, we have an award of excellence, and this year we are honoring McKee Homes and Pat McKee and Julie Russo and the great work they've done really across our state to further the cause.
Speaker 2:So, with this being the Western chapter, tell us where that is Obviously Charlotte over to Asheville but describe what the western region entails.
Speaker 3:So it's the 49 counties in central and western North Carolina, so it really is almost exactly half the state, less. Technically I describe it as a squiggly line down the middle of the state where Charlotte and the triad and then, as you kind of go up the squiggly line, burlington, alamance County is on this side as well. So you know that said people, people don't necessarily live and work as the way we've divided, and so we work very closely with our sister chapter on the other side of the state to make sure all North Carolinians are well served.
Speaker 2:So what other events do you guys host that are important for your organization?
Speaker 3:So, what other events do you guys host that are important for your organization? Our other signature events are our Walk to End Alzheimer's, which happen in the fall and around the country. There are over 600 of these happening between September and November. Here in North Carolina there are 17. There is one in Charlotte. It will be October 18th at Truist Ballpark. Our walks are open to everyone. It's free to register. We do encourage fundraising and engaging your friends, families, faith, community, business, but we have several thousand people show up. We also have for your listeners who are in the surrounding Charlotte area. We have other nearby communities that also host walks.
Speaker 2:So if you want to participate in that, tell us the process to do that.
Speaker 3:Absolutely so. Whether it is the gala, whether it is the walks, you can find information on both at our website, alzorg slash, north Carolina. It can direct you there. Or a more direct path for our gala is Charlotte Memory Gala dot org.
Speaker 2:Well, that sounds exciting. Oh, I wish you guys the best, and it is. I mean, I didn't think about corporate involvement, I've always thought of individuals, but I can see how important that is to support local.
Speaker 3:Well, that plus we are finding there's a whole body of research about how prevalent Alzheimer's is impacting the workplace, both by individuals who maybe are working and find themselves with a diagnosis, but oftentimes with adult children who are caregiving for parents. And we offer free education classes so we can come in and be a complement to someone's kind of HR benefits for their employees, where we have an awareness of what is Alzheimer's. What are the research findings and how do you get services, and we find large crowds are interested because you know this is becoming such a prevalent issue for people in the workforce.
Speaker 2:Oh, I hadn't thought about that and I know just having, as I mentioned, with my father. It impacts the family greatly and it was very interesting how each of us navigates it differently, between sister and brother and myself and mom, so that support is crucial.
Speaker 3:It is, and you know we all spend a huge portion of our time at work. If we are, if we are not retired and you know, a lot of times you don't you can't get those resources when you're at home, or when you get home, you're caregiving for children or a spouse, and so a lot of this is impacting the workplace, and so you know to your point, it's where we all spend a lot of time and it's a great way that companies can not only invest locally but also in their employees and things that may be impacting them from both a mental and physical health standpoint.
Speaker 2:I love that Amazing. Well, Catherine, so happy to chat with you today. You run a wonderful nonprofit and appreciate you sharing what you do and some upcoming events and ways for everyone to get involved and support you.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for helping us share what we're doing and give people a resource Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPSouthCharlottecom. That's GNPSouthCharlottecom. That's GNPSouthCharlottecom, or call 980-351-5719.