Sparta caregivers raising money for Alzheimer’s research

The healthcare heroes of Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands recognized World Alzheimer’s Month, in September, by raising money for Alzheimer’s Tennessee, a non-profit organization dedicated to clinical research, advocacy, and community education about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

From Sept. 22 through Sept. 29, caregivers at the Sparta hospital participated in fundraising festivities that included coffee and donut sales and a pie-throwing contest.

“I am so inspired by the generosity and compassion of our associates,” Robert Peglow, chief administrative officer, Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands, said. “They serve our community around the clock and are constantly seeking creative opportunities to make an impact.”

The CDC estimates that 6.2 million adults across the nation are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This progressive neurological disorder is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institute on Aging. For more than two decades, the geriatric psychiatric unit at Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands has cared for Middle Tennesseans affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

If you would like to schedule a virtual or in-person interview with a caregiver about early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, please email anjali.bright@ascension.org.