GARDENING REDUCES STRESS FOR BUSY CAREGIVERS
Alzheimer’s Association, Meredith Publications Plant Hope with New Alzheimer’s Awareness Perennial Garden
(Chicago) November 5, 2008 – According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, more than 40 percent of the 10 million American unpaid caregivers rate the emotional stress of caregiving as high or very high. However, according to a BHG.com online survey of 1,340 respondents, nearly 60 percent say gardening relaxes them.
This November, during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month and just in time for holiday gift giving, the Alzheimer’s Association and Meredith Publications are helping to reduce caregivers’ stress and beautify gardens nationwide with the Alzheimer Awareness Perennial Garden.
The Alzheimer Awareness Perennial Garden, designed by Better Homes and Gardens, consists of 10 white and purple (the official color of the Alzheimer’s Association), lush, hardy plants (three Salvia, two Echinacea, Phlox and Sedum; and one Aster). Ten percent of gross sales are being donated to the Alzheimer’s Association to help support vital research and services in communities nationwide, making the garden a gift idea for stressed caregivers, families looking to honor loved ones or anyone who wants to move the cause forward.
For brown thumbs, the Alzheimer’s Association is also introducing its new Caregiver Stress Check – a first-of-its-kind, interactive quiz that helps caregivers identify their symptoms of stress and provides them with a tailored list of helpful referrals and resources. The Caregiver Stress Check will be available at www.alz.org beginning Nov. 1st.
The Alzheimer Awareness Perennial Garden is provided by White Flower Farm and available at www.alz.org for $99.95 plus shipping. The plants will be shipped in early spring 2009 based on the recipient’s location and planting season.
For more information on Alzheimer’s disease and various resources, visit www.alz.org or call 800-272-3900.
The Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit www.alz.org/eci.
About Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation (www.meredith.com) is one of America’s premier media and marketing companies. Meredith combines well-known national brands – including Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Ladies’ Home Journal, Family Circle, American baby, Fitness and More – with local television brands in fast growing markets. Meredith is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest areas such as home, family, health and wellness and self development. Meredith then uses multiple distribution platforms – including print, television, online, mobile and video – to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the messages of its marketing partners. Additionally, Meredith uses its many assets to create powerful custom marketing solutions for many of the nation’s top brands and companies. The goals of these programs are to increase consumer loyalty and produce repeated consumer interaction. In the last two years, Meredith has significantly added to its capabilities in this area through the acquisition of cutting-edge companies in areas such as online, word-of-mouth and database marketing. Meredith employs approximately 3,600 people throughout the Unite States, and fiscal 2007 annual revenues were 1.6 billion.
