Understanding Alzheimer’s
Last weekend I participated in The Walk To End Alzheimer’s with my father in Augusta, who was diagnosed with the disease three years ago. For the first time, I didn’t feel pressure to apologize for his bizarre behavior. Why? Because he was holding a blue flower, which is what the event uses to signify someone who has Alzheimer’s.
It was refreshing to be in that environment. But while I was basking in his happiness, I realized something and questioned everything my family has been doing over the course of the last three years: Why does he have to be holding a blue flower for others to be at ease around him? Why is daily life cloaked in shame? How is this different from any other invisible disability, disease or disorder that impacts cognitive function and, ultimately, behavior?
I wanted to bring it to the public’s attention that this disease can cause someone to dance in the middle of the grocery store, sing in the doctor’s office or even come up and talk to your children. I think that when Alzheimer’s takes this form in contrast to manifesting in a depressing way, it should be celebrated and met with kindness, not fear.
Many thanks to every person involved in The Walk to End Alzheimer’s. I hope other family members and caretakers can find the solace I did at such an eye-opening event so we can all stop apologizing.
Laura Rivers
Old Town
Gun-free zones
The recent mass shooting at a community college in Oregon has prompted President Barack Obama and the usual anti-gun crowd to propose more laws that will do nothing to solve the problem while ignoring the one act that would stop mass murderers in their tracks.
As usual, the anti-gunners want more registration to see who owns what guns. There is little indication that registration would solve the mass murder problem, but they want more anti-gun laws regardless of their effectiveness. From a Second Amendment standpoint, the problem with universal registration is that it is a precursor to confiscation.
To solve the mass shooting problem, it would be much more effective to ban “gun-free” zones. Creating “gun-free” zones is essentially saying “there are defenseless people here,” and the killers are smart enough to take advantage.
Lawrence E. Merrill
Bangor
Lack of leadership
Isn’t it clear why voters generally do a good job placing candidates with qualifications into high-level government jobs? Yes, there may be a few exceptional backhoe operators, plumbers or salvage-store operators capable of unique people skills, vision, humility and a fascination with learning every morsel of knowledge about everything. Ambition to be the best Maine can be must happen daily.
I can think of two families off the top of my head that personify the values of which we need more: the Millses and the Cianchettes. There are others. To have the governor’s administration cost state taxpayers $108,000 in legal fees in the state’s Medicaid lawsuit because it refused to accept that our state attorney general, with decades of competent legal knowledge and judgment, knew better was arrogance of the highest order.
Let’s get our act together, Maine. And let’s learn from other states and programs elsewhere. And let’s find some other ways to stop foolishness in state government — such as throw the bum out.
Pat Felton
Belfast