25 years helping to fight Alzheimer’s in Plasencia

The Association of Relatives of Patients with Alzheimer’s AFAD Norte de Cáceres turns 25, and will celebrate it by organizing activities throughout 2022. With them, it intends to raise awareness about this pathology and raise funds that allow it to maintain and even expand the services it provides to improve the life of both patients and those who share their day to day with them.

“We will do at least one activity per month, to raise funds, because we are in a hurry,” says the president, Neli Prieto, before detailing the proposals, which will begin in March with the screening of a short film about the disease. In April there will be a culinary activity yet to be defined, and in May a green march for which they will sell bibs, an activity that they intend to repeat in the coming years.

In June there will be a charity show by humorist Álex Clavero at the Alkázar Theater; in July a basket will be raffled with contributions from the local businesses; and in September, when World Alzheimer’s Day is celebrated, activities that had to be canceled due to the covid-19 pandemic will be recovered. In addition, an award will be established for someone who has stood out for their involvement in the fight against this disease, a distinction that is also born with a vocation for continuity.

In October, a literary evening at the Santa María cultural complex; in November, the now traditional solidarity potato maker day; and finally, in December a solidarity market will be organized.

“The needs of the group we serve are many, and we need funds to continue providing these services,” explained María Climent, from the AFAD Norte de Cáceres board. The group currently has 250 members, and regularly attends to 170 families, to which must be added specific actions that others require. In addition, they serve 30 people in the day center and 35 with their cognitive therapy program.

The effects of the pandemic

The psychologist from AFAD Norte de Cáceres, Cristina Martín, comments that the pandemic has had a significant impact on Alzheimer’s patients and their families, due to the situations of forced confinement during the successive states of alarm.

“We noticed a significant affectation, both at a cognitive, social and emotional level,” explains the specialist, who also refers that the situation generated by the coronavirus gave rise to “very hard situations, according to what the families sent us.” “When we attend them again, we notice in many patients a significant difference compared to the situation they had before the pandemic,” adds Martín, who also points out that the group has a hard time maintaining the resources it provides. The reason is the economic cost involved, both in human resources and material tools.

“Everything we collect with these activities that we will celebrate this year -says Cristina Martín-, will be focused on being able to continue providing these services, because we do not want to fail the people we serve”. The City Council helps them in this task through the Department of Family and Equality. “Because with a grain of sand that each one of us puts in – encourages Councilor Mayte Díaz – we can help build a mountain.”