Day 37- Living with Alzheimer’s –

Rick Phelp’s Video Log

      Tough Days

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2Wyc7Ef-yE]

Rick has been diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease  EOAD.  I will posting these videos as I get them from Rick.  If you are interested in truly understanding what it is like to have Alzheimer’s or are caring for someone with the disease, I believe these video logs will change your life in a positive fashion. 

Please don’t forget to check out Rick’s newly launched website:

 Living with Alzheimer’s 2011          http://www.livingwithalzheimers2011.com/

In addition to this video sequence, Rick has also started a group called “Memory People™” on facebook.

The group is for both people with Memory Loss and their Caregivers.

Memory People™ is a Closed Group so to sign up for the group is a bit different then being added to other groups on facebook.  This is done to protect the group and maintain privacy which is a critical component for the people in the group. 

To become a member of Memory People™ you can ask someone who you know is a member of the group to give you the names of the Administrators of the group.  Then you can befriend an Administrator on Facebook and ask to become a member of Memory People™.  

You will be asked to give us brief bio as to why you want to become a member.  For example 1) Are you a person with Early Onset Alzheimer’s disease, 2)  Are you caring for someone with dementia.  3) Are you an advocate for those with Memory Loss.  You must be approved by an Administrator to become a member.

All Conversations are private and are not posted on your home page of facebook.  Conversations are only posted within the Memory People™ site.  This is what makes Memory People™ a closed group. All members agree to keep conversations private within the group.  This is required of each member in order to be respectful of each other’s privacy.  Conversations on this site are at times extremely personal and the intent is for them not to become public.  Republishing of information in any format  on blogs…articles… books… videos… without prior written consent from individual is forbidden. 

Here are instructions on how to join “Memory People™” on Facebook.com 

1)      Log into your facebook account.

2)      If you have not signed up for a facebook account yet, you must do this first.  Once you have done this you will have a home page and can follow the directions below.  To sign up for facebook, google facebook.com and follow the directions.  It is very simple to do.  I did it!  J

3)      Once you are logged onto your home page you will see a search box just left of the facebook logo located on the upper left corner.  To the right of the Facebook logo is are icons of the little people, a bubble comment, and a world icon.  The search box is just right of these icons.

4)      To become a member you must be approved by an Administrator of the group. 

          To get approved by an Administrator, Type in one of the Administrators names listed below in the search box & push enter.

                        Administrators are:

                        1)  Marcus Bennett

                        2)  Jim Judd

                        3)  Kathy Bostwick

                        4) Tom Miner

                        5)  Donnamarie Baker

                        6)  Tia Matthews Bookless

                        7)  Cheryl Stevenson Kearney

                        8)  Lori La Bey

                        9)  Rick Phelps

                       10) Leeanne Chames

                                    a)  ON the Administrators site you will see is an “Add as

                                        Friend” button.   Click on that. 

                                    b)  A new window will pop up. 

                                    c)  There you need to click on the bottom left corner

                                         where it says Add a Personal  Message. 

                                    d)  When the box pops up Type in –

                                                1)  Request Membership to Memory People™

                                                2)  Tell us if you are a person with Alzheimer’s

disease or if  you are caring for someone, or if you are an advocate for those dealing with memory loss.

                                    e)  Push Send Request

5)     The Administrator will receive you request and have to approve you in order to become a member.  This typically is done within 24 hours.

6)    Once you become a member you will be asked to write a bio on your Alzheimer’s situation.  These can be brief or as long and detailed as you like.  The reason we ask for the bio is to help members see who members of the group are.  These are also used for quick reference when communicating with one another.  Members can take a quick glance and refresh their memories of personal situations of others which helps in conversation flow.  Theses bios will become more and more important as membership grows.  The bios also assists those with memory loss to feel more independent by being able to check or recheck this information on their own without the embarrassment of having to ask someone to repeat their story.

We look forward to you becoming a MEMBER of Memory People™!