Baba’s Bunch Short Story
When and Why it was created
My wife, Maria Friguls, was diagnosed in 2005 with Alzheimer’s at the early age of 53.
In 2006 I had to sell my business and retired to take care of her and for the following 12 years, my life was totally devoted to her constant care until her passing on July 13, 2018, at the age of 67.
During these long and difficult years since diagnosis, BABA’S condition steadily and rapidly progressed and degenerated to the point that she became totally dependent on 24/7 assistance for all her basic activities of daily living.
BABA is what our grandchildren used to call my wife, Maria Friguls, and BUNCH is a group of people having a common interest or association; therefore, Baba’s Bunch represents a BUNCH of people determined to assist the many BABAS in the community suffering with Alzheimer’s.
It was at the 2008 Memory Walk for Alzheimer’s in Miami -Dade County when the term BABA’s BUNCH was first used when over 450 friends and family came out in support of my wife, Maria Friguls, under the Team name BABA’S BUNCH.
Team BABA’S BUNCH was recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association for its dedication to the Alzheimer’s Cause and for its outstanding participation for having the largest team.
Team BABA’s BUNCH also earned the same distinction for being the largest team in the annual WALK to END Alzheimer’s events in 2009 – 2010 – 2011 and 2012 when the Team gathered the support of over 785 participating members for the Walk event.
Alzheimer’s Facts
More Facts
-
The daily care of someone diseased with Alzheimer’s requires an ever-increasing amount of patience, love, effort, time, and plenty of consumable resources.
-
The fact there were over 80,000 people diseased with Alzheimer’s in our own backyard (Miami-Dade County) and that most of them lack the good fortune in having the most basic information and necessary resources for properly taking care of their loved-ones,
-
How the lack of such basic consumable resources necessary to provide proper care such as pampers, wipes, milk, medicine, and vitamins only exacerbates the agony, increases the pain, intensify the frustration thus gravely worsening the condition of the diseased as well as of the caregiver,
-
The vigilant care day-in and day-out for years without any relief, puts at risk the physical and mental health of the caregiver, affecting their mood and behavior resulting in frequent cycles of depression.
-
The fact is that 80% of the care provided at home for a person with Alzheimer’s is delivered by an unpaid, untrained family caregiver. Fifty-six percent of all Alzheimer’s caregivers are over the age of 55 who usually become potential “secondary patients” because of the negative impact that providing care has on their general health.
-
The frustration and disillusionment resulting from the projection that the number of people with Alzheimer’s over age 65 will increase in the USA from today’s estimate of 6.7 million to 13.2 million in 2050.
-
That there is no reasonable hope in sight to have a new drug, a new procedure or anything that could potentially either prevent, cure, or even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Unfortunately, the only sad outcome when diagnosed with Alzheimer’s remains suffering and death, even though long before actual death, the person has “ceased living” in many others different ways.
Alzheimer’s Facts
When did Baba’s Bunch start?
