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Alzheimer’s disease reshapes families and demands immense resilience. Yet a growing wave of scientific optimism is changing approaches to brain health.
Local volunteers Ellen Gudjonis and Dani Jachino transformed their families’ heartbreak into decades of advocacy. For both women, volunteering is a powerful way to stay socially engaged, a critical component of their own cognitive health. Both are calling on the community to prioritize brain health and to join them Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Chicago in Lincoln Park.
What’s good for your heart is good for your brain
Gudjonis connected with the Alzheimer’s Association in 1998 when her 68-year-old mother was diagnosed. The experience highlighted a common misconception. People often assume a family history is an automatic genetic sentence, which Gudjonis notes is rarely the case.
While her mother battled the illness, Gudjonis also witnessed the hidden collateral damage on her father. “The toll that this disease takes on the primary caregiver is huge,” Gudjonis says. “He ended up dying two years before my mom, and he was in good health before she got sick, but he pretty much put all of his attention on her and his health suffered.”
Now a volunteer community educator, Gudjonis uses her story to highlight that brain health is essential for everyone. Whether navigating a diagnosis or the heavy load of caregiving, prioritizing your own care is a necessity.
She teaches the Association’s “10 Healthy Habits for a Healthy Brain” program, focusing on physical exercise, cognitive exercise, nutrition and health monitoring.
“What’s good for your heart is good for your brain,” Gudjonis emphasizes.
Familiar routines aren’t enough to build new neural pathways. “If you do crossword puzzles, at the point that you get really good at crossword puzzles, you need to pick something else to challenge your brain,” she explains, suggesting hobbies like chess.
Gudjonis also stresses the importance of hydration, noting that sudden cognitive decline in older adults during summer is often linked to dehydration. She advises combining habits to maximize benefits. Walking to a farmers market with a friend keeps you physically active, socially connected and stocked with fresh produce.
The power of daily habits and community support
Dani Jachino has volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association for over 26 years. Knowing nothing about Alzheimer’s when her mother developed dementia, Jachino turned to the Association for guidance. Today, the 79-year-old supports people in the exact same overwhelming position.
Jachino recalls agonizing evenings at the memory care unit. During one visit, her mother became frantic, believing an eight-year-old Jachino was missing. To soothe the panic, Jachino embraced therapeutic lying, assuring her mother she had picked the little girl up and tucked her safely into bed.
“You realize that those lies, they’re stories, they’re not really lies, they’re helping them,” Jachino says. “It’s a dreadful disease, which is why I can’t stop doing what I’m doing.”
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Her journey led her to become a support group co-facilitator, an Illinois chapter board member and a roleplayer for the Association’s landmark U.S. POINTER study, learning firsthand how lifestyle influences cognitive decline.
Following the MIND diet, Jachino prioritizes seven to eight hours of sleep and a nutrient-rich plate. “I definitely increase fruits and vegetables, dark leafy greens and berries. I always have blueberries in my oatmeal,” she says.
Jachino also channels her energy into ensuring people of color and LGBTQ+ communities receive crucial Alzheimer’s resources, knowing these groups face disproportionate risks.
Walking toward a cure
Both women find immense hope in recent medical advancements. New blood tests are identifying biomarkers earlier than ever, and breakthrough drugs are actively slowing the progression of the disease.
This momentum relies on local support. By participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the community funds vital research. There are more than 10 Walk to End Alzheimer’s events held on various dates throughout Chicagoland. At each event, Walk participants carry colored flowers representing their connection to the disease.
Gudjonis and Jachino will be there, waiting for the day someone can carry the white flower, the symbol of the first Alzheimer’s survivor.
“Hopefully someday we do have that white flower,” Jachino says. “Meanwhile, we just have to keep doing this.”
Take action for your cognitive health and your community. Register for the Oct. 3 Chicago Walk to End Alzheimer’s or another Walk near you at alz.org/Walk. For additional resources, visit alz.org