door Peter Donk
SLIEDRECHT – The ‘Forget-me-not route’ was unveiled on Wednesday afternoon, September 21, 2022, in the park near the AanZet library and the war memorial. This was done under beautiful weather conditions by Wim de Groot (from De Groot & Schagen) and his mother in the presence of alderman Cees Paas (SGP-ChristenUnie) of the Social Domain.
De Groot’s father died of Alzheimer’s disease. He did the unveiling with his mother. (Photo Peter Donk / Sliedrecht24)
Alderman Paas kicked off with a short speech about the latent disease dementia, which is slowly getting a hold of someone. “It is also a debilitating disease, in which mental faculties continue to decline. Actions, such as dressing oneself, cooking or making a sandwich are becoming increasingly difficult or even impossible,” said Paas. It is a condition that affects one in five people. In women, that is even one in three. Paas: “An estimated 550 people with dementia live in Sliedrecht. Because we are getting older, that number will rise to more than 900 in 2040. People live with dementia for an average of eight years, of which the first six years at home. We all have to deal with it.”
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Alderman Cees Paas during his speech on Wednesday afternoon. Paas: “Dementia is a disease that demands attention continuously, every day. That is why we are here today. To draw attention to dementia. On the one hand, to prevent it as much as possible through a healthy lifestyle. But on the other hand to also show what Sliedrecht has to offer.” (Photo under Peter Donk / Sliedrecht24)
The municipality of Sliedrecht has been a dementia-friendly municipality since 2019. “We strive for a community in which dementia is accepted, recognized and in which people know how to deal with it. We work hard on a community that lends them a hand when they no longer know and need our help. A community that also deals openly with dementia. Where the right information can be found, where there is tailor-made support and where residents, volunteers and professionals, as well as entrepreneurs, strengthen each other,” says Paas.
From donations
Music was provided by singer MAY from Papendrecht. She sang / played guitar a song she wrote herself about Alzheimer’s. She based her text on a practical example. French and Agnes. The appropriate song received a warm round of applause. Then the unveiling of the path with more than 30 ‘forget-me-not tiles’ took place. De Groot said that the tiles were paid for from donations for Alzheimer’s disease during an open day at the company De Groot & Schagen. “My father opened that day and then quickly deteriorated. He stayed in the Waerthove nursing home. An amount of € 10,000 was raised during the open day and that money was donated to Alzheimer Sliedrecht. The special tiles are also paid for. It helps people find their way. You can meet people with dementia more quickly in this environment,” said De Groot, after which he unveiled a directional sign together with his mother. Finally, storyteller Nico van Lent presented a personal story about dementia.
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Wim de Groot talks about what happened to his father. (Photo Peter Donk / Sliedrecht24)
stalls
There was plenty to do in the park. There were information stalls from the Odensehuis and the daytime activities in the Seniorenhuys De Schalm, an experience table and the memory games from the Library, the Alzheimer café of Alzheimer Nederland, the Unforgettable Cooking Club (new in Sliedrecht since mid-December 2021 – ed.), the GGD about the connection between a healthy lifestyle and dementia, dementia case managers, the informal care point, vending machines and the dementia-friendly craft table (including where they make Happy Stones – ed.).
World Alzheimer’s Day. Sliedrecht reflects on this with a song, speeches and unveiling. Information stalls added to the ambiance. (Photos Peter Donk/Sliedrecht24) pic.twitter.com/KRTSfDW5Cd
— Sliedrecht24 (@Sliedrecht24) September 21, 2022