Alberta Sabin: Celebrating Her 93rd Birthday with Alzheimer’s Walk
Chelsea Retirement Community (CRC) resident Alberta Sabin is celebrating her 93rd birthday by helping those living with dementia. On October 11, 2020, Alberta will participate as part of the UMRC-CRC team in the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Washtenaw County. This is her 5th time to walk in this event.
Dementia is personal to Alberta as both her mother and grandmother lived with the disease. Alberta cared for her mother in her home for ten years.
A resident of CRC since 2004, Alberta was a teacher and guidance counselor for twenty years and loves bird watching and writing. She has written several books and has been an active member of CRC’s Creative Writing group and writer for The Reporter, CRC’s resident newsletter.
Alberta and Katie Garvey, Dementia Care Specialist at UMRC’s Towsley Village Memory Care Center, are serving as co-captains for this year’s UMRC-CRC team. They will be joined by ten UMRC team members who are also participating in this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Because of COVID-19, the 2020 walk is virtual, and participants can walk wherever they choose to help raise funds and spread the word about dementia awareness.
So far, the UMRC-CRC team has received $1,350 from generous donors, toward a goal of $5,000. Donations for the walk will be used for medical research to help those who are coping with dementia and their loved ones. “Everyone hopes for a cure,” says Katie. “Emphasis now is on preventative measures and early detection to learn how to live well in a supportive environment.”
To support Alberta, or any of the UMRC-CRC walkers, go to umrc.com and click on the purple and yellow Walk to End Alzheimer’s banner at the top.