TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A couple on Tucson’s Eastside wants to get rid of the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s. They are encouraging people to watch out for early warning signs.
For Debi Hall, 2020 was a year full of doctor’s visits.
“There seemed to be a lot more going on as far as forgetfulness and just being sort of out of sorts,” her husband Mark Hall told KGUN 9. “Very few days where she didn’t cry.”
She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s that December at the age of 65.
“She was devastated,” said Mark. “Being a nurse for 40 years, knowing what this meant… She didn’t want the stigma to go with it. ‘Cause she knew what the stigma was.”
But the couple continues to do things together; 2020 was also a year where her sewing skills were desperately needed.
“We started making masks during the pandemic,” said Mark. “Then she couldn’t sew that very well, so then we went to blankets…”
Tucson non-profit Mending Souls is a place for Mark and Debi to sew items for people with medical or financial challenges, and it became a group they could rely on.
“You have a good time over at Mending Souls? And seeing Michelle and the girls right?” Mark asked Debi.
“Oh yeah!” She responded.
“And they’ve been just absolutely wonderful with Deb,” said Mark.
The support from friends and family has made the journey easier, even as communication has gotten harder since KGUN spoke with the halls two years ago.
“I know that she’s frustrated when I don’t understand what she needs me to understand,” Mark admitted.
That doesn’t stop the Halls from talking, and talking about Alzheimer’s.
“The stigma’s starting to wear off a little bit, I think,” said Mark.
And they urge people who are concerned to talk with their doctor.
Warning signs of Alzheimer’s include:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
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This Saturday morning is the ‘Walk to End Alzheimer’s’ at Reid Park.
There are already more than 1,500 participants signed up, with a goal to raise more than $300,000.
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
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Ryan Fish is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9 and comes to the Sonoran Desert from California’s Central Coast after working as a reporter, sports anchor and weather forecaster in Santa Barbara. Ryan grew up in the Chicago suburbs, frequently visiting family in Tucson. Share your story ideas and important issues with Ryan by emailing ryan.fish@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
