Preserving memories

Caring for an Alzheimer's Disease patient means the family will lose a loved one in more than one way, says the honorary chair of Dancing for Memories.

Doctors diagnosed Ingrid Walas with Alzheimer's Disease in 2000. She lived with the disease for eight years before she passed away in 2008. John Walas, Ingrid’s son, said he saw signs coming that his mother was developing the disease but that didn’t prepare him for what was in store.

"I think the issue with Alzheimer's is that you lose someone twice," Walas said. "You lose them mentally, which is a very hard thing and then you lose them physically. You end up going through lose twice with someone with Alzheimer's. It’s very tragic because your parents become your child."

He said one of the last memories his mother had revolved around music and dance, so when Maria Hudolin, co-chair of Dance for Memories, asked Walas if he would help with the fundraiser event he said yes.

He wanted to help because it supported the Alzheimer's Society with something he enjoyed – dancing, he said.

"I think, generally speaking, Alzheimer's patients (music and dance) seems to be the last thing that goes for some reason," he said. "They can connect to rhythms and music. When my mother was going to the Alzheimer's day care, they did dancing and she would always remember how to dance whenever she heard music and it would put a smile on her face."

The eight-hour event started at noon at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute that featured a different style of music and dance every hour.

Hudolin said they hoped to raise about $16,000 and expected 200 people to either dance or watch. All the funds raised will go towards the Alzheimer's care programs.

"There’s a great need (to help those programs)," Hudolin said. "As the statistics show, the prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's is increasing. Right now one in 11 people over the age of 65 get dementia or Alzheimer's."