Excellence in Caregiving Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Caregiving

2009 Excellence in Caregiving Awards Ceremony

The Alzheimer’s Association East Central Iowa Chapter awarded their seventh annual Excellence in Caregiving Awards on August 13th. The awards were given out at a luncheon during the Alzheimer’s Association 15th annual Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Education Conference.

The Excellence in Caregiving Awards honor outstanding achievement in caregiving and recognize family caregivers, organizations and professionals who serve individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The awards and their recipients were the following:

The Professional Award recognizes an individual who has brought a sincere dedication to his or her profession that serves as a model to others who are within the field. Patti Reyhons, a Recreation Therapist from Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls was awarded the Professional Award for her dedication to serving residents, both individually and collectively, by fulfilling their lives through special activities and maintaining long-term memories. Patti takes pride in what her residents accomplish and strives to maintain dignity in all that she does.

Susan Schultz, MD of the UI College of Medicine, accepting the 2009 Organization Award

The Organization Award recognizes an organization, agency or institution that has chosen the development of exceptional programs and/or services that benefit the Alzheimer’s community and its mission.  Susan Schultz, MD, from the University of Iowa’s College of Medicine received the 2009 Organization Award. Dr. Schultz is the principle investigator for the Gammaglobulin Alzheimer’s Partnership (GAP) study at the U of I, which is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Gammaglobulin, an investigational drug, and whether it slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sonya and Kenny Shippy of Waterloo, accepting the 2009 Family Caregiver Award

The Family Caregiver Award recognizes an individual or family who embodies the courage to face the challenges of caregiving, the compassion to ensure dignity for their loved one, and the wisdom to reach out for support. Sonya and Kenny Shippy both received the 2009 Family Caregiver Award for their devotion to caring for Sonya’s mother, Bernadine, who is currently battling Alzheimer’s disease. The Shippy’s dedication to Bernadine and the Lakeview Lodge family is truly inspiring, as they face Alzheimer’s with compassion and courage.

Congressman Bruce Braley won the 2009 Special Service Award. Tavis Hall accepted the award on Congresman Braley's behalf.

The Special Service Award recognizes an individual or a group that has made a unique contribution. Congressman Bruce Braley received the 2009 Special Service Award for spearheading an amendment to develop quality indicators for people with dementia that passed in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s health care reform bill. Tavis Hall, a representative from Congressman Braley’s office, received this award on his behalf.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be one of the most challenging and overbearing commitments a person can take on. These recipients have truly given of themselves to provide and care for individuals with Alzheimer’s.