Regrettably, President Chris observes many close members of our community afflicted with neurocognitive decline, a condition that has become common in our elderly community. He personally finds it painful to follow the decline of our fellow citizens, who have led a full life, only to result in significant memory loss and disorientation. The impact on family and friends is always disheartening to follow. He eagerly awaits therapeutic interventions in the coming years.
This year he is proud to invite members to support, as our Club Christmas Appeal, PALZ, Professionals with Alzheimer’s.
PALZ, is led by Dr. Cathy Roth OAM, National Chair of PALZ and Past District 9780 Governor 2004-2005. We remember with happiness when Cathy was awarded our Club’s Seniors Award in 2022.
Her compassion and drive to bring respect and continued meaning into the lives of the affected individuals and their family/carers requires us to embrace and support, in the many varied ways our Club and community ecosystem may do so.
There are now PALZ groups in Geelong, Melbourne, Ballarat, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, Bateman’s Bay, shortly in Brisbane, and the UK. Each group is coordinated by a facilitator and meets bi-monthly with a corporate style speaker who has been briefed on the need for multi-sensory inputs and repetition of key points. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/PALZglobal/
Cathy Roth and her husband, John, were our Club guests on 13th December 2023, Christmas lunch meeting. Please make all donations, which are tax deductible, payable to: Rotary Club of Melbourne Community Foundation.
