HELENA — The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. At Touchmark, a Helena senior living community, the day sheds light on Alzheimer’s disease.
In Montana, there are 21,000 people aged 65 or older living with Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. This means there are 25 million hours of unpaid care provided by caregivers each year. For those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, or suffering from the disease themselves, every day can feel like the longest day.
Each year on the summer solstice, Touchmark locations across the country, including Helena, take advantage of the extra daylight. They organize events from sun-up to sun-down, including presentations, fun runs, and more.
The events are not only a fundraiser for Touchmark’s longtime partner, The Alzheimer’s Association, but a chance to build community and celebrate lives.
Touchmark’s executive director, Joe May, reflected on the day, “Really, the longest day is a day of hope and encouragement as those treatments and cures are researched.”
Money raised for the Alzheimer’s Association helps fund resources for people with the disease and their families, such as the 24-hour support hotline.
It will also go toward research to fight the disease—the Association says they have invested more than $360 million in more than 1,000 projects.
To learn more about Touchmark or donate to the Alzheimer’s Association, visit the website here.
