This year's Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Charleston will be emceed by Emilie Zuhowski, the host and producer of the lifestyle show, Palmetto Life, which was launched in September by our media partner, Live 5 News. We sat down with Emilie for this special spotlight to learn what the fight against Alzheimer's means to her.
This cause is personal to Emilie, who lost her Grammy, Edna, in January of this year after living with Alzheimer's disease for 15 years. It all started when Emilie was just a little girl growing up in New Jersey.
"Most of my life, that's what I remember," said Emilie. "My brother and I are the youngest of our cousins, so we didn't really get to know her as much before she was diagnosed. As time went on, she was definitely very confused about who I was. She only remembered things that were really, really in the past."
Despite her long decline into Alzheimer's, Edna was very much the matriarch of their close-knit family.
"There was just so much love for her," said Emilie. “It's interesting, because when you have dementia, you don't really interact with people [in the same way]. But to still see the love and admiration and relationship that we all had with her… I think that was amazing. Grammy was one of a kind. She was such a unique person, no one like her in the world. I just love that we all felt that way, even though there was a lot of time lost because of the diagnosis."
Emilie remembers that music was an important way that they connected with her Grammy, whether by attending her grandchildrens' shows or simply singing with them. "She would see one of our babies in the family, and she would immediately start singing Itsy Bitsy Spider," Emilie shared. "It was so natural for her. She would just light up… you could just see it in her face how happy she was to have kids around, to bring that joy into the room."
For Emilie, her chosen career path was also a unique way to contact. Edna took a journalism class back when she was in grade school, and so talking with Emilie would always spark a special memory for her, even if just for a moment.
As Edna’s dementia progressed, the whole family rallied around her, pitching in to help her Poppy care for her at home. "My mom and her sister were always just like, 'All right, Mom, let's you into this shower. Let's get you to the bathroom,'" said Emilie. “I could not believe how they just snapped into it. They would just always know what to do. Everybody in my family helped out in some way, especially towards the end."
Her care was a team effort that included dedicated hospice staff — who treated her Grammy as if she were their own family member, laughing and singing with her.
"I just want thank like anyone who takes care of people that have it," said Emilie. "Any caregiver that I met that was caring for my Grammy, I just kept telling them, 'You are an angel.' I can't imagine the patience that they had, how sweet they always were to her."
But throughout it all, it was her husband, Guy, who was her rock.
"My poppy is a saint. It was just unconditional love that even grew over time for them. I feel like that's what everybody wants in life, to have somebody that will stick with them through anything," said Emilie. "The one thing that Grammy would always would remember was him. She would always be like, 'Where's Guy?' Even in her last few months, that was always the person that she would want next to her, which I think is kind of beautiful."
While Emilie’s family really pulled together through their experience, Emilie knows that facing any type of dementia can be a long, hard road for families.
"There are so many frustrating days for families who are going through it. But, instead of letting it define your family relationships, I think you just have to come together over it and really cherish all of the good moments," said Emilie.
That that’s why Emilie is excited to help bring the community together through the upcoming
Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Charleston on October 28. As the morning’s emcee, she’ll lead the poignant Promise Garden ceremony, which will honor members of our own community, share the stories of their families and celebrate our collective hope for a world without Alzheimer’s and all dementia.
Register today to join us for Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Charleston — or another location near you!
Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia.™ For more information, visit www.alz.org or call the 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.