Alzheimer's Association Invites People to Join the 2020 Eastern CT Walk to End Alzheimer's This Weekend

The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting everyone in Connecticut to join the fight to end this disease by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on three different weekends this fall.
 
The Connecticut Walks to End Alzheimer’s will continue, and instead of hosting large gatherings, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging people to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across our state. 
 
This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be everywhere. We are inviting people to walk on Saturday, September 26th in Eastern CT.
 
“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus during COVID-19 and neither are we,” says Robin Sharp, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association CT Chapter. “Our Fall Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be held everywhere, and we are working to make sure everyone has a powerful and moving experience. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when it comes to COVID-19, so know that we are committed to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”
 
Time-honored components of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an online Opening Ceremony will feature local speakers, and we are also inviting everyone to drive by our Promise Garden at Ocean Beach Park, 98 Neptune Avenue in New London between 12-2pm to honor the personal reasons people join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.
 
To enhance the experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk Mainstage'' to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path, manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access information and resources from the Association and Walk sponsors to help those affected by the disease. A new audio track will be available to encourage participants along the way and to congratulate them when they are finished walking.
 
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Connecticut alone, there are more than 80 thousand people living with the disease and 178 thousand caregivers. 
 
“This year, more than ever, we need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” says Sharp. “With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research to find new treatments or ways to prevent this disease.”
 
To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: alz.org/walk.