Every June for more than a decade, the Alzheimer’s Association has marked the summer solstice with a campaign called The Longest Day. The name served to highlight the day with the most daylight, with the light symbolizing a stand against the darkness of Alzheimer’s. And just as importantly, it was a reminder that for those caring for a loved one with the disease, every day can feel like “the longest day.”
For over a decade, the idea has been simple: the Alzheimer’s Association has invited people to take an activity they already loved, such as hiking, baking, playing bridge, or singing karaoke, and turning it into a fundraiser for care, support, and research. No marathon or gala was required, just the passion of something you enjoyed, done in honor of someone facing the disease.
This year, the Alzheimer’s Association renamed The Longest Day to better capture the root of the call to action: Do What You Love to End ALZ. The new name reflects the day in a way that the Alzheimer’s Association has been encouraging since the campaign’s inception: flexible, personal in nature, and doing something you are passionate about. The good news is that the heart of it hasn’t changed; you still turn an activity you love into a fundraiser, you just no longer have to wait for one day in June!
And while there have been exciting new milestones in the Alzheimer’s research and treatment space, the work is far from finished. Efforts like this one help continue to fund the research and support that work as it moves forward.
How to take part
The Alzheimer’s Association keeps it to three steps:
- Register. Sign up and choose the activity you’ll turn into a fundraiser.
- Fundraise. Set up your page and use the welcome kit they send, packed with tools and ideas.
- Invite others. Ask friends and family to join in or donate toward your goal.
Activity ideas
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the day encourages you to be as creative as you would like:
- Move: a hike, a walk, a pickleball match, or a charity golf or tennis tournament.
- Play: a bridge afternoon, a board game night, Mah Jongg, or a livestream.
- Gather: a cookout, a costume or dance party prominently featuring the signature color of Alzheimer’s awareness: purple.
- Create: a karaoke night, a knit-a-thon, or an art auction.
- Celebrate: ask for donations in lieu of gifts for a birthday, wedding, or anniversary.
Whatever you love to do, there’s a way to make it count. To get started, visit the Do What You Love to End ALZ website. You can also learn more about Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer’s, agitation in Alzheimer’s and tips for caregivers, the important work of Project PAUSE, and research on Alzheimer’s and related diseases, on the Alliance website.
Katrin Werner-Perez serves as the Director of Health Programs at the Alliance for Aging Research.
