Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, March 9,1994" Houston Times-Journa!
page 10A
New Support Group Will
Help Ease Alzheimer Pain
They appeared as the ideal cou
ple.
She often laughed at his corny
jokes, and looked at him with ad
miring eyes. I found it quite amus
ing that she referred to him as Mr.
Harris.
I observed Mr. Harris holding
Mrs. Harris' hand or giving her a
sly wink. It was refreshing to see a
couple in their late 60s so obvi
ously in love with each other, they
had raised five children and made a
living as farmers.
Their favorite hobby as to sing
gospel songs in their small country
church. He played the guitar and
they both sang.
I saw them for several years each
time they came to our rural health
clinic for check ups. After each
visit, Mr. Harris would look seri
ous, shake my hand and the doctor’s
as he said, "We thank you very
much for all you do for our fam
ily." A small gesture, but it meant
a lot because it was sincere. They
exemplified the older generation by
their love of God, family, hard
work, honesty and appreciation for
others.
One of the most difficult
dilemma all health care workers
must face is to watch people we
have become fond of lose their
health. This was the case with Mr.
Harris. Mrs. Harris called one day
and in confidence said, "Mr. Harris
is getting very forgetful." She had
not worried too much about it until
he began to get confused at night.
Could the doctor take a look at
him?
After a series of tests and exams,
Mr. Harris was diagnosed with
Houston Schools Reaping
Benefits From Ga. Lottery
Houston County continues to
reap the benefits from the Georgia
Lottery for Education. Governor
Zell Miller's supplemental budget
recently passed the Georgia General
Assembly, and it will mean
$1,569,334 in new lottery funds for
Houston County.
"I am very pleased to provide
this education funding for Houston
County," said Miller. "I want every
child in every county in Georgia to
reap the benefits of the Lottery for
Education, and this money will
give the children of Houston
County the chance to use the latest
computer equipment, work in a
modem media center and if they
keep their grades up, go to college
tuition free."
The funds will go to the follow
ing in Houston County: classroom
computers, $339,700; media cen
ters, $472,500; safe school grants,
$204,634; regional libraries,
$17,500; technical institution
equipment, $500,000; and for the
public libraries, $35,000.
Under Miller's budget, every
single public school in Houston
County—elementary, middle and
high school—will receive $17,500
for technology in the media center.
"It is exciting for me to think
what $17,500 could do for libraries
and media centers in Houston
County," said Miller. "They might
choose to buy a CD-ROM tower,
for example, to get access to an
endless supply of newspapers,
magazines, books and encyclope
dias. This money has the potential
to open up whole new worlds for
our students in Houston County."
Miller's budget also includes
$17,500 for each middle and high
school to purchase computer
equipment, and a total of SIB,OOO
for computer equipment for every
school with elementary grades.
"We must prepare our children to
compete in the global economy of
the 21st century," Miller said.
"This money allows our children to
work on the latest computer tech
nology, and I am leaving it up to
the local schools to decide how best
to use these funds."
Miller also wants to expand the
HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils
Educationally) scholarship program
to include even more students. Un
der his new proposals, 95 percent of
Georgia's families would be eligible
for HOPE scholarships.
"Just think of it, HOPE would
enable any child, regardless of
means, to go from kindergarten to a
completed college degree tuition
free," Miller said.
Currently, to qualify for a HOPE
scholarship, a student must have a
"B" average and the student's family
income must be less than $66,000.
Presently, the scholarship is only
available for the freshman and
sophomore years if the student
maintains a "B" average.
Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's Disease is now the
fourth leading cause of death among
adults in America. The disease at
tacks the brain resulting in impaired
memory, thinking and behavior.
Alzheimer's is a progressive degen
erative disease which has no cure.
The Alzheimer's Association
states most people are over age 65
when they exhibit symptoms, how
ever, it can strike in the 40-to-50
age range. Symptoms of die disease
may begin with simple forgetful
ness and progress to memory loss,
changes in thought, personality and
behavior and, in the final stages, re
sult in a total inability to perform
even simple self care.
Alzheimer's brings great anguish
and deep frustration to those with
the disease and their families. These
families must deal with constant
major changes. Mr. Harris pro
gressed from a farmer and busi
nessman to a man that had to be
constantly observed so he wouldn’t
wander off. At times Alzheimer vic
tims may not even recognized their
‘own families. The fatigue, frustra
tion and hopelessness experienced
by these families is indescribable.
Alzheimer's is a terrifying dis
ease for the patient and a heartbreak
ing one for the family. Our society
tends to deal well with physical ill
ness, but diseases that affect the
brain we tend to shy away from.
Often just when Alzheimer fami
lies need us the most, we run be
cause we don't know what to say or
do. The care giver of an Alzheimer
patient experiences the loss of the
person closest to him even though
they are still alive.
HOPE grants may be used to
pay tuition and mandatory fees at
public technical institutes, colleges
and universities in the state of Ge
orgia. Other HOPE grants are avail
able for students at private colleges
and for GED recipients.
Miller's proposed expansions for
HOPE are to expand it to cover tu
ition costs for juniors and seniors at
public colleges and universities, to
increase the income eligibility of a
family from $66,000 to SIOO,OOO,
to expand it to cover mandatory fees
and provide a book allotment and to
raise the tuition equalization grant
from $1,500 to $2,000 for students
who attend a Georgia private col
lege.
Kenneth Watson Completes Marine Basic
Marine Pvt. Kenneth C.
Watson, son of Lehman J. and
Marsha F. Watson of Kathleen,
recently completed recruit training.
During the training cycle at
Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris
Island, S.C., recruits are taught the
basics of battlefield survival,
introduced to typical military daily
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The Alzheimer patient and their
families need community support,
as well as medical and social man
agement Although there is no cure
for Alzheimer's disease, the patient
and family will benefit from what
therapy is available. Physical exer
cise and social activities are impor
tant, as ar proper nutrition, medica
tions and medical followup.
Approximately 70 percent of
care given Alzheimer patients is
provided by families. The cost of
family care is approximately
SIB,OOO per year. The annual cost
of nursing home care ranges be
tween $24,000 and $36,000. Unless
a cure cm- means of prevention are
found, an estimated 12-14 million
people will be affected by the year
2040.
A group of concerned people liv
ing in the Perry area are forming an
Alzheimer's support group. Their
goal is to try and make a difference
in the lives of people with
Alzheimer's and their families. The
group will meet each Thursday
night in March at 7 p.m. in the
Medical Library of Perry hospital.
An Alzheimer forum is planned for
April. Any person who wishes to
join this group is welcome to at
tend.
If the legislature approves these
expansions to the HOPE program,
virtually every Georgia child would
have a chance to get the education
they need to compete for tomor
row's jobs.
Miller emphasized that HOPE is
providing a dream come true for
thousands of Georgia's students.
There are already more than 40,000
students in Georgia who are attend
ing college or technical school tu
ition-free. During the first few
months of the program, Georgia
achieved record enrollments in pub
lic colleges and technical institutes,
and achieved large enrollment in
creases in state private colleges.
routine, and personal and
professional standards.
All recruits participate in an
active physical conditioning
program and gain proficiency in a
variety of military skills including
first aid, rifle marksmanship and
close-order drill. Teamwork and
self-discipline are emphasized
jSL 8$ 4M pi' 1
Tucker Elementary Students of the Week
The following are Students of the Week for February 18, 1804 at Tucker Elementary School:
Taylor Burch, Britney Felder, Kacle Stewart, Nikki King, Kyle Hood, Marqulta Golden,
Danielle Corcoran, Matthew Kramp, Clifford Barnea, Billy Warren, Kimberly Gllea, Corey
Bennett, Tara Ragln, Whitney de Yampert, Patrick Carlson, Erika Askew, Wesley Perry,
Alberto Zermeno, Jennifer Conger, William Barnea, Gla Buckles, Bradley Dugger, Quentin
Askln, Danielle Davie, Crystal McGhee and Nlcolya Bryant.
Navy sends
J.S. Smith
Out To Sea
Navy Seaman Recruit Jason S.
Smith, son of James E. and Susan
E. Smith of Perry, recently departed
for a six-month deployment aboard
the destroyer USS Comte De
Grasse, homeported in Norfolk, Va.
to the Mediterranean.
The 7,500 Atlanta Fleet sailors
who comprise elements of a joint
task group (JTG) which includes
units of the aircraft carrier USS
Saratoga Battle Group and the USS
Inchon Amphibious Ready Group,
relieved the USS America JTG.
Joining the JTG, are 2,000 Marines
from the 24th Marine Expeditionary
Unit from North Carolina.
Smith is one of 382
crewmembers aboard the 9,100-ton
USS Comte De Grasse. The ship
is 563-feet long and is armed with
missies, guns and torpedoes.
Designed to operate overseas and
to respond swiftly, the Navy and
Marine Corps"sea-air-land" team is
capable of a full range of action
from humanitarian relief to major
offensive operations, from the sea.
Jason joined the Navy in
September 195%.
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