Center on Aging to Sponsor Team in Alzheimers Memory Walk
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 04:45pm | By: Van Arnold
Answering a call to community service, several members of the Center on Aging at The University of Southern Mississippi plan to participate in the annual Memory Walk for Alzeheimer's fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center.
The Memory Walk represents the nation's largest event designed to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer disease care, support and research. The Southern Miss Center on Aging will sponsor a team comprised of approximately 10 members. The team will also sponsor a play area during the walk for children.
“Alzheimer's disease and other dementia are devastating conditions that have long-term effects not only for the individual but for his or her families,” said Dr. Susan Burchell, associate dean of the College of Health at Southern Miss and co-director of the Center on Aging. “This event raises awareness of the impact of Alzheimer's disease and helps raise funds to support services and research.”
Formed in the summer of 2009, the Center on Aging's mission is to respond creatively to the myriad instructional, research and service challenges posed by the aging phenomenon in an inclusive and interdisciplinary matter, with special emphasis on local and regional needs for reliable information and skilled workforce development.
Burchell notes that the center's top priorities include the following:
- To advocate for aging friendly communities to allow for independence for older adults
- To support research into factors contributing to successful aging
- To facilitate dialogue among gerontological health care professionals
Dr. Susan Hrostowski, assistant professor of Social Work at Southern Miss and co-director of the Center on Aging, is serving as the team captain for the Memory Walk event.
Anyone wishing to join a team for the Memory Walk should go to www.alz.org/ms#memorywalk and click on “Learn More” under “Hattiesburg Walk.” On the welcome page, click on “Sign up to Walk” and follow the instructions that lead to the list of teams. Sign up under “USM Center on Aging.”