I volunteered at Charlie's Place recently and had a great experience. The staff was friendly, caring, and extremely attentive towards those in need. I highly recommend this organization and the services it provides!
After a lifetime of living in New England my husband and I relocated to Baton rouge for his work. I left behind a career in elder services to make this move and have wanted to connect with an agency to continue to be of service to elders and their families. Of all the agencies I explored, Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area does their work with much heart and sincere attention to the families' needs. It seems to me that from the first staff person encountered at the front door or the first difficult to make phone call the family member is greeted with respect and full attention. Charlie's Place is an adult day social program for respite care they have developed to be a wonderful atmosphere for folks with dementia. So much thought and care has gone into this program it is a salvation to many families using it. As a volunteer I aspire to be as welcoming and helpful as I can be to help Alzheimer's Services achieve their agency goals.
I volunteered this year for Alzheimer's Services of the Capitol Area. I wanted to be of service to someone and I saw an article about them speaking at a Rotary meeting in my town. It brought back memories of my grandfather who had suffered and passed away from Alzheimers many years ago. I remember my grandmother always saying that the medical people would find a cure. She said it all the time and kept the faith till the end. That was 30 years ago!!! No cure has been found and the the number of Alzheimer's patients is growing and growing. I wish we would have had a Charlie's Place for my grandfather to attend and give my grandmother very much needed rest. Also, all the resources this organization provides is invaluable especially when one is reeling from the diagnosis and doesn't know where to turn. The staff is very knowledgable and above all so caring! I enjoyed my time there last Spring and I am returning this Fall to help with their Walk/Run to Remember and other tasks as needed. They are a great organization! They are making a difference to so many people!!
After I retired, Charlie Valluzzo asked if I would be interested in volunteering at Alzheimer’s Services. I knew little about Alzheimer’s, since no family members or friends had this dreaded disease. But, it didn’t take long to realize that I was going to be a long-time volunteer when I saw how Alzheimer’s affected families, and the caring and commitment of the staff. I have been the “Volunteer Coordinator” for Alzheimer’s Walk/Run for the past ten years, and this entails enlisting approximately 200 volunteers each year. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people, as well as helping to promote awareness of Alzheimer’s Services.
I have been active with Alzheimer's Services since 1993. The growth in services over the years has been phenomenal. The number of people touched, and the variety of ways that victims, caregivers and others are helped, are extraordinary. Please get involved yourself - there are many ways to participate.
I have worked with Alzheimer’s Services since 1999. The growth has been a testament of how important our work is to the Capital Area. Our Organization’s mission is Teaching, Caring and Connecting. No one person or family should face this devastating disease alone. I encourage all those who need our services to please give us a call.
Alzheimer's Services serves such a tremendous need for the Baton Rouge area, and their staff executes its mission to perfection. I have been nothing short of continually impressed in being able to observe how this organization responds so adeptly to the needs of the community - one of the true bright spots in the world of non-profits in Baton Rouge.
My review is likely quite different from others. I was asked to serve on the Alzheimers Board primarily to attempt to create more knowledge and interest in the organization from one of our outlying parishes. At the same time, however, I have friends who are caretakers for spouses with the disease, and other friends who are adult children of people with the disease. They clearly wonder what will happen to them as they grow older. Being a baby boomer myself, I understand the absolute need for additional information to get out there about it all. This is basically a situation where we as citizens will need to rely on each other as we battle the onslought of Alzheimers, and together, with pertinent information and expertise, we can make life better for everyone. Our organization is a wonderful conduit to that goal.
The Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area (ASCA) agency is a lifeline for individuals and families coping with the direct impact and struggles related to dementia. As a professional, I have benefited greatly by expanding my own knowledge base, treatment modalities and access to community resources per ASCA's programs and services. As an individual, I benefited from their services per my own family caregiving experiences about 5 years ago when my father needed caregiving and respite assistance; their staff provided a sorely needed shoulder for me and my family to lean on! Through community venues like the monthly Lunch/N/Learn sessions, Caregiver Support Groups, Charlie's Place, the Annual Memory Walk/Run and others, ASCA has improved the community health status for all of us. Also, through the many collaborative efforts and partnerships that ASCA has made in the community, such as with the Pennington Biomedical Center, it has innovatively found new avenues for improving and expanding services. I look forward every year to helping ASCA and many other volunteers for the Memory Walk/Run when I get to help set up the booths for the vendors who come to the event, which is so educational, fun and health promotional!
Alzheimer's Services is a group of unbelievably compassionate and caring people who have shown how "real" their concern for those affected by the disease is. I've worked as a volunteer and donor to help them in their mission. Since my family is deeply affected by the disease, I feel the need to give however I can. We host a big fundraiser called "A Time to Remember" and donate ALL the money raised to Alzheimer's Services so that they can continue to serve any who need them.