DAPHNE, Ala.— John McClure Snook Regional Center, a memory-care community for people suffering from dementias—run under the auspices of Mercy Medical—Thursday presented its fourth “Candles of Care,” an annual National Commemorative Candle Lighting sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in recognition of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.

The program began with a warm welcome by Ginger Brown and was followed by the Prayer of St. Francis, read by Sister Marilyn Graf.

Sister Donna Cooper followed the prayer with a reading of the names of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Guitarist Patti Miller then performed a special piece whose music and lyrics were written specifically for the ceremony. Her voice was accompanied by the singing of Susan Deas and Wendy Redlin. The three women stood side by side illuminated by the soft glow of candles and a moonlit sky as they sang.

Copies of the National Alzheimer’s Disease Prayer were passed out so that as Cooper read aloud at the end of the program she was joined in unison by all of those attending.

Refreshments followed; back inside the hall apple pie was served alongside BLT’s and soda, and people socialized. About 40 people talked over each other’s laughter and voices.  

Alzheimer’s is a progressive, irreversible neurological disorder. Most victims are older than 65, but Alzheimer’s can strike in the 40s or 50s. Symptoms include gradual memory loss, impairment of judgment, disorientation, personality change, difficulty in learning and loss of language skills. No cure is known.

Today it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and   accounts for less than 70 percent of all dementia related illnesses, according to the National Institute of Health.

Patients with dementia are unable to grasp the content of situations in their entirety, according to Ginger Perillo, the center’s program administrator, who said the ceremony was to provide a continuous series of enjoyable instants that comfort and entertain. 

Perillo, whose grandfather and father succumbed to dementia, and Ann Pearson, whose mother, Lou Avery, is battling Alzheimer’s, said that sacrifices are made when a family member is diagnosed with dementia; one gives up their independence, and expects little in return—other than the joy of caring for another.

“I’ll always be here, and I’ll always take care of her,” Pearson said.