{"id":3275,"date":"2022-09-08T15:02:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T19:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3275"},"modified":"2022-09-08T15:02:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-08T19:02:06","slug":"cover-story-cathy-james-care-support-research-at-the-heart-of-alzheimers-association-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3275","title":{"rendered":"Cover Story: Cathy James – Care, support & research at the heart of Alzheimer\u2019s Association mission"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Lorna Oppedisano<\/strong><\/p>\n

When she was younger, Cathy James, chief executive officer of the Central New York Chapter of the\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s Association, didn\u2019t often hear the term Alzheimer\u2019s. She does remember visiting a great aunt in a nursing home and, thinking back, she now realizes her relative was likely suffering from Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut back in the \u201970s, you didn\u2019t really hear the term Alzheimer\u2019s disease mentioned a whole lot,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was \u2018hardening of the arteries,\u2019 \u2018senility.\u2019 You really only heard those terms mentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since then to when Cathy joined the Alzheimer\u2019s Association as a volunteer in the 1980s to her decades as a staff member, there have been a great number of advances in the field, from awareness of the disease and the association to emerging treatments that address symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s to further research to the national agenda put in place to address the disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I think of the milestones that I\u2019ve been privileged to be a part of, either as a volunteer or as a staff member, I\u2019m very proud,\u201d Cathy said.<\/p>\n

History of Caring <\/b><\/p>\n

Originally from Massachusetts, Cathy attended the University of New Hampshire with the initial intent of studying occupational therapy. After realizing she enjoyed her psychology and sociology classes most, she consulted with her professors and decided to earn a degree in social work.<\/p>\n

While in school, Cathy met her husband. Two years after completing college, they married and moved to Maine. It was there Cathy started her career in the healthcare field as an employee of the Sisters of Charity Health Systems. After working as a case manager for a year, she accepted the position to lead a small program for the healthcare system.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great opportunity for me to learn about grant management, how to write proposals, how to develop a budget,\u201d she said, \u201cand then the whole other component of running a program where you are actually hiring and coaching other staff. In the field of social work that I studied, these are not skills acquired in the classroom or internships.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cathy continued to advance in her career with the Sisters of Charity Health Systems, eventually gaining experience as the director of social services at a nursing home, where she learned the details of systems like Medicare, Medicaid and nursing regulations.<\/p>\n

It was during this point in her journey Cathy began to learn more about Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Some of the patients in the nursing home suffered from Alzheimer\u2019s, so Cathy reached out to her local chapter to see how she could best assist her staff and their patients\u2019 families.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have people who are trained to be support group facilitators,\u201d the individual from the local chapter told Cathy. \u201cThat might be something you might want to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, in the late \u201980s, she became a volunteer for the Alzheimer\u2019s Association in Maine and started a support group for families whose loved ones had the disease.<\/p>\n

Cathy became familiar with two parts of the organization \u2014 care and support. Thinking back, Cathy remembers it wasn\u2019t until she joined the organization decades later as a staff member that she learned more about the third piece \u2014 research.<\/p>\n

Joining the Team <\/b><\/p>\n

In 1995, Cathy and her family relocated to New York state, settling in the Finger Lakes region. Knowing she wanted to remain in the field of aging and senior services, Cathy began to explore job opportunities in the area. She found an opening at the Alzheimer Association\u2019s Central New York Chapter for a staff member to oversee the adult day program. She applied and was hired.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was over 25 years ago now and I\u2019ve been here ever since,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve had many opportunities to learn from others in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2005, the chapter executive position became available.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought long and hard about running the chapter. Is that something I felt like I would like to do or was ready to do?\u201d she remembered asking herself.<\/p>\n

She spoke with peers in other local nonprofit organizations for advice and eventually decided it was something she wanted to pursue. Cathy began the new role in 2006.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of change in the field of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease during that time [since taking the leadership position],\u201d she said. \u201cJust the work of our chapter has expanded profoundly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Care and Support <\/b><\/p>\n

The work of the Alzheimer\u2019s Association incorporates care, support and research. That all begins with one number: (800) 272-3900.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe foundation of our care and support really starts with our helpline,\u201d Cathy explained. \u201cPeople can reach us 24 hours a day, seven days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, the association offers a variety of helpful options, from care consultants to caregiver education and trainings of all sorts to support groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar to the training that I went to [as a volunteer], we have trained facilitators \u2014 volunteers \u2014 across the United States who have training by the Alzheimer\u2019s Association,\u201d Cathy said. \u201cThey\u2019re oftentimes people who have either been caregivers or are currently caregiving for someone with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and have gone through the training and can provide peer support for individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cathy explained the crucial role volunteers play in the work of the organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never have enough staff to be able to meet the needs of 410,000 New Yorkers who are living with Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d she said. \u201cWe barely reach the tip of the iceberg. It breaks my heart when I hear people who finally get to us say, \u2018I wish I\u2019d heard about you sooner.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Something Cathy is particularly proud of is the organization\u2019s engagement with volunteers. While they have always utilized voluntary help, those individuals play a pivotal role in reaching the vision of a world without Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other dementias, as well as achieving the association\u2019s strategic goals, she said.<\/p>\n

These connections to the general public through volunteers are especially important in underrepresented communities, she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need individuals from underrepresented communities, such as communities of color, because they\u2019re at a higher disproportionate risk of developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease. So, having individuals who can speak to members of their community is very important in this cause,\u201d Cathy said.<\/p>\n

Along with 20 people on staff, Cathy and the organization work with between 130 and 150 volunteers at any given time, from board members to Walk to End Alzheimer\u2019s committee members to program volunteers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone interested in learning more about career opportunities or volunteer opportunities can go right to our website at alz.org,\u201d Cathy said.<\/p>\n

Research into the Future<\/b><\/p>\n

Much of the local support for the Alzheimer\u2019s Association, including funds raised from events and donor gifts, enables Alzheimer\u2019s research, Cathy said.<\/p>\n

Earlier this summer, Cathy attended the Alzheimer\u2019s Association International Conference, along with 5,000 in-person attendees and another 5,000 online, at which 4,500 scientific sessions were presented, highlighting a myriad of research topics. Funds raised by the Alzheimer\u2019s Association currently support 950 research projects on six continents in 48 countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things that is so inspiring for me is the number of young investigators who are new to the field,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s very exciting to see that there are young individuals who are getting into this field of Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia research.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for Cathy\u2019s own future with the organization, she is confident she will always play a part in the work, even after she eventually retires from her leadership position.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my heart, whether I\u2019m a volunteer or a staff member, I want to be a part of this cause when we are able to have the first survivor of Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d Cathy said. \u201cAnd I really feel that it\u2019s on the horizon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Want to get involved with the Central New York Chapter of the Alzheimer\u2019s Association? Join the Walk to End Alzheimer\u2019s on Sep 25, 2022, at the SRC Arena & Events Center on OCC Campus (4585 W Seneca Turnpike Syracuse, NY 13215). Visit alz.org\/walk to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Lorna Oppedisano When she was younger, Cathy James, chief executive officer of the Central New York Chapter of the\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s Association, didn\u2019t often hear the term Alzheimer\u2019s. She does remember visiting a great aunt in a nursing home and, thinking back, she now realizes her relative was likely suffering from Alzheimer\u2019s disease. \u201cBut back in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[435,1264,708],"class_list":["post-3275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover-story","tag-alzheimers-association","tag-cathy-james","tag-cover-story"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Cathy-James-CNY-Alzheimers-Association-0001-scaled.jpg?fit=1708%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1168,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1168","url_meta":{"origin":3275,"position":0},"title":"Fighting Alzheimer’s and Dementia","author":"Staff","date":"October 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Critical Concerns for Women Submitted by Loretto and the Central New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association Alzheimer\u2019s is a progressive neurological disease that has no cure, but what many don\u2019t realize is that nearly two-thirds of the 5 million Americans diagnosed are women, according to a recent report from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/cropped-SWM-logo-use-this-one.jpg?fit=930%2C448&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/cropped-SWM-logo-use-this-one.jpg?fit=930%2C448&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/cropped-SWM-logo-use-this-one.jpg?fit=930%2C448&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/cropped-SWM-logo-use-this-one.jpg?fit=930%2C448&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2212,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2212","url_meta":{"origin":3275,"position":1},"title":"Inspire: Cathy Palm: Treating addiction for 30 years","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"January 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"At Tully Hill Chemical Dependency Treatment Center, an 8-year-old shih-tzu named Coco holds a place of honor. 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