Posted Friday… 10-18-19
So, I have been thinking about how to help more and more people with less and less time and resources available. Our support group has wonderful potential to help 10-15 people soon as the word gets out, and I expect great things from it. I would like to be able to help dozens or, perhaps, hundreds at a time? Enter my (not original) idea:
An online support group/group chat.
Could I get a show of (digital) hands as to who would love to go to a support group but doesn’t have respite care available to cover for you? In other words, if we got together a couple of us (me and Stacey and perhaps others/guest speakers) and sent out an email or social media invite to everyone so that when you click on my link it will bring you to an interactive live stream of a support group?…(Note: I haven’t asked Stacey about this. 🙂 ) Would that be useful? Would you have the technology to view it? (You would need a computer microphone or use a phone if you wanted to verbally participate. All phones and most laptops and tablets have a mic.)
What thoughts do you have? Any obstacles? Have you tried an online stream like that before? What time of day/day of week would be good? Would it make you tempted to NOT go to in-person support groups? I don’t want that because I strongly believe in the value of interpersonal elbow-rubbing as a healthy practice and that social isolation is terrible for us. We were made to be in community and to talk and laugh and cry and hug (air hug or handshake is acceptable).
My heart is bigger than my available time. I don’t want to “waste” the “opportunity” that God has given me to make lemonade out of lemons (although sometimes it seems more like making onionade out of onions…) for His glory. It really doesn’t matter and I am not tooting my own horn in saying it, but I am not paid for this, nor will I be ever…The only “capitalizing” I am doing off of mom’s situation is using it to help…just like she would do if she switched shoes with me.
Would you have time to do this for me? Comment below or email me at mark.applegate@senioragemo.org, Facebook message me or text me at 417-955-2513 with ideas, concerns, etc…… I am going to be super busy the next 3 days, but I will respond as soon as I squeeze out a moment to do so. Thank you soooo much!
Here is a funny addendum video that “explains me” in, hopefully, a non-offensive way, especially in light of yesterday’s article:
I am a fixer. Therefore, sometimes it seems to me that everything and everyone has a nail. (If this doesn’t make sense, watch the video above 😉 …) I fix things for a living and have for a long time. I struggle to “let go and let God”, whatever that means. I struggle with leaving problems unfixed. I can’t fix mom. I can’t. My brain is too small, my budget is metallic, and my time is fleeting. I completely trust God and will submit to His will. However, He uses people to bring about His will and I want to try to “help”. I really wish the scientific community would consider a more multi-disciplined approach and a less undogmatically dogmatic method. This disease needs to be fixed, and toot sweet! Millions of lives are at stake. Thousands of researchers are, I am certain, doing awesome work. I just want answers…now. 😉
#EndALZ
Update: Mom had another good day yesterday. This is one of the nifty features of this disease is that it lets out the slack and lets you get comfortable, then it bashes you in the face. 🙁 I am enjoying every day with mom and being cautiously optimistic that things will continue to do well. 🙂 I am also hoping we get renewed in her hospice care because they have been exceptional for us.
Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to hearing from some of you on my little support group idea. 🙂
Important followup note: If you need respite care, contact the Alzheimer’s Association or your local Area Agency on Aging ( My wonderful employer, SeniorAge, is our local one) who can try to arrange that for you. There are limited funds available to fund this too.