The Men Remember has been a top Walk4ALZ fundraising team for years, and the members are fierce in their dedication to each other.

Most of the team members are in an all-male support group with Alzheimer’s San Diego and have currently raised over $75,000 for the October 15th, 2022 Walk4ALZ. They are excited and hopeful to see the end result: First Place.

Gary, Marc, and Mike are all care partners in the Men’s Group who actively support The Men  Remember. Each one is caring for their spouse who lives with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia.

“Awareness” is the one word Gary uses to explain why year after year, he works to raise money for his team. Marc echoes this idea by explaining that the Walk makes dementia and important services for care partners like him simply more visible. Marc knows there are other male care partners trying to understand dementia, and urges them to reach out for help; the kind that he found in his own life at the start of his caregiving journey.

Gary and Marc are both excited to walk in person this year because they will reunite with fellow group members and their cofacilitators. One of the facilitators adds his own two cents on what Walk means for his team.

“Walk shows the value the men place on the experience they have in the group. It’s a representation of gratitude and the measure of worth they get from Alzheimer’s San Diego and other group members… their generosity touches my heart and you can’t ignore it.”

Mike, a fellow group member, is also proud of his team because they have one of the smallest support groups, but they always reach the top three teams in fundraising.

Are you ready to Walk4ALZ? Sign up at www.alzsd.org/walk or by calling 858.966.3319

He laughed at the realization that he doesn’t remember when he first started participating in the Men’s Group, but he knows why he started. Mike checked out the program after his spouse was diagnosed with dementia to learn more about how others were dealing with it and how he could find better ways of coping. Years later, he continues to join meetings because they are a very informative learning experience that he still values to this day.

To paint a picture of the support group for others, Gary shares,

“It’s an extremely pleasant atmosphere to deal with an obviously very sad subject. So the guys are there for help and they get it.”

No matter how many meetings he attends, he learns something new each time and credits this to the facilitators and the quality group of guys.

As for Marc, he meets as often as he can because the Men’s Group is the only place he feels like he is fully understood. He finds it’s easy to identify with the men and values the expertise others offer even after their loved ones with dementia have passed away. What’s also amazing is that Marc has joined another support group because of the connections he has made!

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These men don’t stop with the support groups or the Walk team. At one point or another, each of these men has needed more information and compassion while caring for their person. Navigating the overwhelming nature of the disease, care partners often need to look beyond a doctor’s office for extra help and ways to “fix” themselves and adapt their own expectations of what being a care partner really means.

They have all attended other Alzheimer’s San Diego’s programs and services to receive the knowledge and expertise care partners deserve.

Like many of the guys in the group and team, Mike shares that he had no clue about dementia. “Oh my  goodness, Alzheimer’s San Diego made all the difference.” After participating in the group and other programs, he feels more confident in his role as a care partner and encourages others through his own experiences.

Like Mike, Gary and Marc pointed out that professional consultations, counseling, and education classes were extremely beneficial, especially after a recent dementia diagnosis. Gary doesn’t know if he would have survived the caregiving experience without the knowledge he gained from the programs he has attended. Even the social activities at the office have offered him respite and his spouse a place to bond with other people living with dementia.

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Gary shares a special note to those who have helped him during his journey:

“A big giant thank you to everybody at Alzheimer’s San Diego. All in all, a terrific, really wonderful organization. This was my first experience with social workers and I was really happy and pleased with them. What a great group of personnel.”

While Gary, Marc, and Mike look forward to coming together in their support group every two weeks, they are also looking forward to placing as the top Walk4ALZ team in 2022. Watch to see who takes the coveted first place!

Need support? We’re here to help! Speak with one of our expert Clinical Care Coaches by calling 858.492.4400 or emailing info@alzsd.org.