DELVARDO EMMANUEL
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

With September being world Alzheimer’s month, Stapleton Gardens Neighbourhood Watch, in
conjunction with the Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association, launched its registration drive for
seniors in the Stapleton Community living with Alzheimer’s.
The registry was introduced during a symposium on Tuesday at the Holy Trinity Activity Centre,
where seniors within the community were given firsthand information about Alzheimer’s.
President of the neighbourhood watch Jouette Smith, who too had a parent who suffered with
this brain disorder, said it’s time to put seniors and those living with dementia at the forefront.
Smith said the goal of the registry launch is to use the Stapelton Gardens Community as protype
with hopes to spread throughout other communities and the nation at large.
“We no longer will see our seniors, our precious pearls, walking the streets and don’t know
where they are or where to go,” Smith added.
The neighbourhood watch has also partnered with Kiwanis Bahamas, where they presented all
seniors who attended with Super Value food vouchers.
They also implemented a backyard farming program.
As part of its mandate for the care and safety of seniors in the community, a first of its kind
activity community centre is currently in the works. That centre will also be outfitted with an
office for the Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association.
With over 2,000 persons in The Bahamas currently living with this disease and the expectancy
for it to triple come 2050, president of the Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association Wendi Poitier is
calling on the government to get the ball rolling on the national dementia plan to assist with how
to deal with this growing disease.
“In 2017, The Bahamas signed on as a part of World Health Organization. To commit that the
country will have a National Dementia Plan. This National Dementia Plan will address the risk
factors, as well as funding,” Poiter said.
According to studies made by Alzheimer’s Disease International, aside from aging, there are risk
factors that can possibly heighten your chance of getting this memory loss disease; this includes
lack of physical activity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, head injury and
a lack of education. To learn more, visit the Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association’s Facebook page
or visit www.alzint.org