In-person walks return this fall in region

The Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter will host four Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in the region.

The Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter announced it will host four Walk to End Alzheimer’s events in the region and all will take place in person.

The association is inviting area residents to join the fight by signing up as a team captain, joining a team or registering to walk as an individual at alz.org/walk.

The dates for this year’s Walks are:

• Lake and Geauga Counties — Sept. 12

• Lorain County — Sept. 18

• Cleveland — Oct. 3

• Ashtabula County — Oct. 9.

Lindsay Walker, executive director of the Cleveland Area Chapter, said the chapter decided to move forward with plans to host the 2021 Walk to End Alzheimer’s because meeting in person provides an exceptionally moving experience that can be accomplished as COVID restrictions loosen.

“I can’t even express how excited we are to have all of our walks in person this fall,” Walker said in a news release announcing the Walks. “There will be some modifications, so we can make sure that everyone attending feels safe and comfortable. For those individuals who don’t want to join in person, they can still participate in all of the day-of activities through the Walk To End Alzheimer’s mobile app.”

Over the last two years, participants have contributed $1,355,099, providing funding for Alzheimer’s care and support for local families and for research, the release stated.

On Walk day, participants will honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with the Promise Garden ceremony — a missionfocused experience that signifies solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers represent people’s connection to Alzheimer’s — their personal reasons to end the disease.

Last year 1,889 more people with dementia died in Ohio than expected because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association. In addition, the pandemic placed additional stress on caregivers who for months could not see their loved ones in long-term care or could not utilize services like inhome aides and adult-day care services for fear of their loved one contracting COVID.

“This year has been extremely stressful for all and that’s why our efforts to raise money for care and support for local families are so critical,” Walker said in the release. “This Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be extra special because we now have a treatment for Alzheimer’s and we can come together to help each other.”

The Cleveland Area Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association supports 160,000 caregivers in the region.

There are 50,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in the Chapter’s fivecounty area.