Against the background of the recent revelation that singer Tony Bennett has been performing for more than five years since the first signs of Alzheimer”™s disease appeared, The Kensington White Plains is presenting an Alzheimer”™s event on National Caregivers Day, Feb. 19.
The assisted living residence has arranged for the national organization HFC, whose motto is “Bringing Light to Alzheimer”™s,” to present a Zoom webinar that will include two panel discussions about the disease. HFC is led by co-founders actor Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, who is an actress, writer and producer. She plans to host the webinar.
The Kensington says that those who attend the free virtual event can learn from some of the nation”™s leading experts in Alzheimer”™s care including Leeza Gibbons, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Sean Hayes, Ashley Williams, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley.
There will be two 45-minute panel sessions beginning at 3 p.m. One will cover building community by connecting with other caregivers and organizations and advise how to begin taking action to find support. The second session is due to focus on caregivers using humor in their daily role as caregivers, ensuring that they take time to care for themselves even as they face the demands of helping an Alzheimer”™s patient.
HFC reports that it has raised more than $13 million to support its charity work and has awarded more than $7.5 million in respite care grants to provide more than 325,000 hours of care for Alzheimer”™s patients. It also has funded research and developed digital presentation coursework for high school, college and medical school students with NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. It also has created online support groups for family caregivers so they can access help from anywhere.
The government”™s National Institute on Aging (NIA) defines Alzhemer”™s as “an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.” NIA says that more than 5.5 million adults, most age 65 or older, may have dementia caused by Alzheimer”™s. The disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.
The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who in 1906 studied the brain of a woman who had an unusual mental illness. He discovered clumps of material in her brain that researchers today have identified as amyloid plaques, now known to be identified with complex changes in the brain that lead to the disease.
Tony Bennett”™s affliction was revealed by his wife, Susan, in a story published in AARP”™s member magazine on Feb. 1 and in an interview that same day on “CBS This Morning.”
Bennett”™s Twitter account carried a message from the singer reading, “Life is a gift ”“ even with Alzheimer”™s. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support.”
Bennett, who lives in Manhattan, is 94 years old. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer”™s in 2016, although the magazine story said symptoms first began to be noticed in 2015. He continued to perform in concert until the Covid-19 outbreak forced the shutdown of concert venues.
It was reported that twice a week in his apartment he sings what amounts to a full-length concert accompanied by his long-time pianist. He had spent two years in various recording sessions from 2018 to 2020 preparing a second duet album with singer Lady Gaga. That album is a follow-up to their highly successful album of standards “Cheek to Cheek” that was released in 2014. The new album is expected to be released this spring.
Lady Gaga and Bennett had performed together at the White House in 2013 during a private party hosted by President Obama for his staff and campaign workers following his second-term inauguration. It was a return engagement for Bennett who, in 2009, performed at the White House as part of a ceremony during which President Obama presented the Congressional Gershwin Prize to musical legend Stevie Wonder. In 2017, Bennett was honored with the prize.
The Kensington said that those interested in attending the free webinar can register through the events page on its website, thekensingtonwhiteplains.com.
