Sunrise Senior Living has a proud history of advocating on behalf of adults with Alzheimer’s disease. As an industry leader in memory care, we are committed to helping advance both prevention and treatment efforts.

In addition to our ongoing relationship with the Alzheimer’s Association, we have formed a new partnership this year with UsAgainstAlzheimer’s! This innovative nonprofit organization is demanding and delivering a solution to Alzheimer's, and Sunrise is committed to supporting this effort by raising funds for and awareness of this devastating disease.

Sunrise Fund for a Cure

Sunrise communities offer eight signature activities programs, each of which are specifically designed to provide opportunities to Live With Purpose. One of our programs is Live With Generosity, in which team members help residents maintain a strong sense of human connection and purpose through participation in community service projects.

As part of our Live With Generosity programming, Sunrise launched the Sunrise Fund for a Cure campaign this year. During the week of May 12, Sunrise communities across the United States held hundreds of unique events to raise money for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. For example:

• At Sunrise at La Costa, CA, team members created handmade greeting cards to sell to neighbors, each with a personal touch and a kind message inside. Residents helped out by creating jars that team members and visitors could drop donations in while at the community.
• Sunrise at Huntcliff Summit II, GA, team members set up an amazing lemonade stand, complete with three different types of lemonade, lemon treats, and other goodies. They raised over $300 in total thanks to residents, community partners, family members, and friends.

In total, Sunrise raised more than $32,000 for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s!

“This amazing result is thanks to the hard work of our team members, whose creative fundraising efforts encapsulate the spirit of Live With Generosity,” said Rita Altman, Sunrise’s senior vice president of Memory Care & Program Services. “The money we raised will be invaluable to UsAgainstAlzheimer’s as they continue to pursue their mission to stop Alzheimer’s and to support families living with this disease today.”

Supporting the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Mission

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s will use the money donated by Sunrise to support the five main focus areas of their fight. The UsAgainstAlzheimer’s website lists these as:

• “Improving brain health and early diagnosis
• Increasing the speed, efficiency, and diversity of clinical trials
• Including insights and preferences of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their care partners
• Advancing national care goals and policies to support caregivers
• And mobilizing advocates to demand a cure—we are mobilizing the most deeply affected communities through our network.”

Each of these are designed to ensure that the organization remains a disruptive advocacy, research, and patient-focused organization pushing for expanded treatments and an accelerated cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

“We are so grateful for the efforts of Sunrise Senior Living residents and team members, who worked so hard to raise more than $30,000 for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s,” said Craig Doane, chief development officer for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “UsAgainstAlzheimer’s works tirelessly to support cutting-edge research, advocate for public policy changes, and provide support services for caregivers and patients. This contribution will propel all aspects of our organization and help us accelerate a cure for Alzheimer’s.”

Alzheimer’s Talks

An essential part of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s strategy is to educate the general public about Alzheimer’s disease so that people may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, obtain earlier diagnoses, and better understand how to care for a loved one with the disease.

In addition to the Sunrise Fund for a Cure, Sunrise is sponsoring two “Alzheimer’s Talks” in 2019. These free informational teleconferences are delivered by memory care experts and designed to raise Alzheimer’s and general brain health literacy.

The first talk took place in March and featured Dr. Neelum Aggarwal of the American Medical Women’s Association. Dr. Aggarwal shared ways people can promote and protect cognitive health and lower their risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s. A replay is available here.

The second Alzheimer’s Talk will occur in October and will focus on caregiving. We invite you to mark your calendars, and stay tuned to Sunrise Senior Living and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s on Facebook for details on how to listen in!

Reminiscence Neighborhoods at Sunrise Communities

At Sunrise, we care for our residents living with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other forms of memory loss by focusing on each unique individual, not the disease or lost abilities. Team members in our specially designed Reminiscence Neighborhoods use the Validation Method to communicate empathetically with our residents.

Click here to find a community near you, or call us at 888-434-4648 to learn more and schedule a tour of a Reminiscence neighborhood.

Source: Sunrise Senior Living