Be a Friend to Someone with Dementia In 2024

AOS & Friends Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support, services, and programs for individuals affected by dementia in Moore and the surrounding counties. The concept for AOS & Friends Care: What Can We Do to Help? was developed by Amy Natt (Aging Life Care Professional™) and John Barrett (Family Advocate) to address a recognized need in the community. Their goal is to support older adults, disabled individuals, caregivers, and the broader community in navigating the challenges of aging and the increasing prevalence of dementia and memory impairment.

Our guiding motto honors John’s wife, Mary Anne, who continued to live by her lifelong mantra by asking, “What can I do to help?” even after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. AOS & Friends Care, Inc. was incorporated and received IRS approval as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit in 2015.

This year marks the 9^th annual Mums for Memory™ fundraising event, the primary funding source for AOS and Friends Care. Mums for Memory™ provides the community with an opportunity to donate and help provide the resources and support these individuals and their families often need.  AOS & Friends Care provides a variety of free services to the community including direct care grants for home care and care management, personalized music players, robo companion pets, resources, and education.  To date, we have been able to provide these resources to over 125 individuals and families and 20 care facilities.

We symbolize this very important cause with a beautiful purple mum. Each donation made comes with a purple mum that can be dedicated in “honor” or “memory” of a friend, caregiver or loved one impacted by dementia. Purple is the designated color to represent Alzheimer’s awareness and community support. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in our community continues to grow as people live longer. People often ask what they can do to help. Supporting Mums for Memory ™ provides you an opportunity to be a friend to someone with dementia.

Helping is easy. We offer sponsorship opportunities and accept individual donations. Each $30 donation comes with a beautiful purple mum. Mum dedications and sponsorships are listed in our program. All funds raised go to support our direct care grants, music players and robo companion pets.

Our annual Mums for Memory™ fundraiser is scheduled for October 3^rd, 2024 and we are currently accepting donations and sponsorships. The Mums will be available on October 3rd at the Aging Outreach Services offices to be picked up curbside or donated to a local facility. This year also marks the 25^th anniversary of Aging Outreach Services. We will be hosting a special event with music, food and networking opportunities on October 3^rd from 5pm – 7pm. All who participate in Mums for Memory™, are welcome to attend.

For more information on sponsorship, or to make your donation, please download our event flyer  or visit our Mums for Memory website.

Thank you from the AOS & Friends Care, Inc. Board of Directors

John Barrett | Mia Lorenz| Amy Natt | Sam Smith

by Bev Foster, MA, BEd, BMus, ARCT, AMus
Music accompanies us on our journey and connects us to people, places and events in our lives. It is cross-coded into life passages and is a powerful stimulus for the brain, both emotionally and cognitively. When it comes to memory care — when semantics, comprehension, working memory and processing are getting muddled and lost — music reaches into places where neural activity still may be intact or least somewhat active.

See this video with Gladys Wilson and Naomi Feil

Several reasons exist why music is a natural choice in supporting people living with dementia.

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