TUCSON, Ariz. (PRWEB) April 04, 2019
The Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA) is pleased to announce that the first recipient of its annual Distinguished Ambassador in Aging Award is Greg O’Brien. The Distinguished Ambassador in Aging Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to helping others deal with the challenges associated with aging.
“Greg is a particularly deserving recipient of this award,” says Anne Sansevero, an Aging Life Care Professional® in New York City and ALCA board member. “Greg is living with Alzheimer’s disease and he is able to use his life experiences as a journalist, author and communicator to cut through the chatter and channel his unique perspective as an Alzheimer’s ‘insider’ to help families with practical strategies on how to care for a loved one with this diagnosis.”
O’Brien has written a book on the subject titled “On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s,” which has received widespread acclaim, both for providing a roadmap of how to live with and fight the disease as well as an inspirational treatise on how to stay positive in the midst of what often seem like overwhelming challenges.
“Greg is using his experience with Alzheimer’s to raise awareness and tell other families and individuals who are affected to be engaged in their communities by talking about the disease and getting involved in trials, advocacy and sharing their own stories, so that others don’t feel alone,” says Kate Granigan, an Aging Life Care Professional from Boston and ALCA board member. “He embodies the ideas of advocacy, courage and optimism, which is what we want to honor with this award.”
O’Brien will be presented with his award at the ALCA Annual Conference, which will be held in Scottsdale, AZ from April 3-6 at The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch.
About Aging Life Care Association
The Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) is a nonprofit association with more than 2,000 members nationwide. Its members consist of aging life care professionals, whose mission is to help adults and their families live well as they face the challenges of aging. ALCA provides support and resources to their members through education, professional development, and the highest ethical standards. It helps its members develop expertise, enhance success, share knowledge and promote the interests of the profession. Families interested in working with an aging life care professional can find a local resource on the “Find an Aging Life Care Expert” page at http://www.aginglifecare.org.