Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek to put on the event.
Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek Independent & Assisted Living is holding a “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” on Saturday, November 1. The purpose of this event is to raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness. Funds that come in will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, a non-profit health organization in the U.S. that focuses on Alzheimer’s disease research, care, and support.
Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of dementia. The current understanding of the cause of the disease is a biological process that begins when proteins build up into amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. These changes cause brain cells to slowly die and the brain to shrink. Approximately 6.9 million people in the United States age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. About 70 percent are 75 and older. Alzheimer’s is the cause for 60 to 70 percent of people who have dementia.
Grace Manor at Hunter’s Creek opened in 2019. Sheryl Vitelli, Regional Director of Operations with Mainstay Senior Living, the parent company of Grace Manor, started the event two years ago. “This is near and dear to my heart because my Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago,” she said. “In Plant City, we don’t have a specific focus on memory care, but we find beginning-stage dementia and Alzheimer’s in our senior living population,” Vitelli said. Grace Manor staff lead their seniors in activities like riddles, puzzles, and music therapy to keep their minds sharp. The facility also offers arts and crafts to tap into their creativity. “It taps into their creative minds, and some of their art is amazing,” Vitalli commented. The facility puts on parties and group story-telling events to enhance residents’ social connections. “Working in senior living, this is what we do.”…