October 25, 2019
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CMYK Page:2 The St.Kitts Nevis Observer - Friday October 25th, 2019 NEWS Group seeks to lift stigma of Alzheimer’s. A St. Kitts Alzheimer’s Association “Fun Morning” event for caregivers of people suffering from Alzheimer’s. No prevalence study for Alzheimer’s in SKN By Kenichi Serino help manage the disease corner and leaving them of Alzheimer’s, stigma a heart attack or broken ing someone in their life but that there was a lack there,” said Rawlins. surrounds the disease leg you wouldn’t be suffering from Alzheim- Alzheimer’s disease, a of understanding. She with some people afraid to tell other people er’s can contact the brain disease that gener- said that was the reason Rawlins added that embarrassed by their and you would seek out association on alzskn@ ally affects the elderly, why she started the because of the symptoms elderly family members help.” gmail.com or Rawlins is still a widely misun- Alzheimer’s Association afflicted with it. directly at rawlinsjm@ derstood disease in the five years ago. “They can’t plan Seeking help is key. gmail.com. Federation, though the “There is a stigma, a Persons with Alzheim- situation is improving, Rawlins had arrived for the future feeling that if you tell er’s will eventually likely “The quality of life can said Dr. Joan Rawlins of on St. Kitts after retir- a person you have a require full-time care, in be improved when the Alzheimer’s Asso- ing from her position anymore. They may relative with demen- particular from family people do understand ciation of St. Kitts and as a senior lecturer at tia or Alzheimer’s members. The job can what the condition is Nevis. the Faculty of Medical fail to recognise they may not want be stressful but Rawlins about. It is a lot of hard Sciences at the Univer- to befriend you said her organisation has work for the caregiv- Earlier this month was sity of the West Indies in people or objects. anymore,” said Rawl- regular support meet- ers and the people who International Day of the Trinidad and noted there ins. ings for caregivers and want to support with care Older Person, Rawlins was no existing associa- It’s hard to take people who have family giving,” said Rawlins. said Alzheimer’s was tion. “I think they’re embar- members with Azheim- one of the most common care of people rassed because they er’s. Alzheimer’s is a disease forms of dementia, a “So I gathered up a group thought their rela- that is still not fully group of brain diseases of people who were because they may tives were pretending Rawlins said that there understood, said Rawl- that afflict the elderly. willing to help start the and were just diffi- are some therapies ins, and has no cure. association and so we have lost things” cult people. But if I which can help, includ- Some medication can Rawlins said dealing started,” said Rawlins. say your relative had ing reminiscence ther- treat the disease for a with a family member apy--talking about short period but the with Alzheimer’s was “I know people are happy things that happened in symptoms return in six challenging as the most about it because we got the past--and solid social months to a year. common warning sign a very positive response. interactions. was memory loss as well Awareness has been Rawlins said that the as personality and mood created because one of “All these things that prevalence rate of changes. awareness of the condi- don‘t cost any money Alzheimer’s shouldn’t tion so people can under- that would help the be higher than in other “They can’t plan for the stand the conditions of person with dementia places, but exact figures future anymore. They the disease,” said Rawl- when they already have are not known because may fail to recognise ins. it. They cost time but no study has yet been people or objects. It’s that is the thing that so done. hard to take care of “There are odd names many of us say we don’t people because they may they would give to have anymore,” said “The problem in the have lost things,” said people but they did not Rawlins. region is probably no Rawlins. really understand that different than what it it was a real disease of Persons seeking more is in most countries but Rawlins said that aware- the brain that required St. Kitts Alzheimer’s Associa- information about we don’t know for sure ness of the disease was management and not tion founder Dr. Joan Rawlins. Alzheimer’s or have because we haven’t done critical for families to putting people in a questions about help- a prevalence study.” NEWS The St.Kitts Nevis Observer - Friday October 25th, 2019 Page:3 Chief gets military send-off Defense Force soldiers carry Patrick Nathaniel Lewis’s casket as they left the Bethesda Flag removed from the coffin as it was lowered into the tomb.Patrick Nathaniel Lewis’s sister Verna Lewis receives the Cayon says farewell to veteran honorary flag from Defence Force head Anthony Comery on behalf of her mother By Loshaun Dixon of 15. we got out of order.” her brother’s time at in 2016.” a joke to lighten any the Coast Guard lasted situation.” A retired police of- “His spare time was In 1985 Lewis was 12 years before be- Lewis was a very ficer and defence spent assisting daddy transferred to the Coast ing transferred to the friendly person and The funeral was attend- force soldier who had as he worked on vari- Guard--despite the fact Army. He was stationed made friends every- ed by Prime Minister Dr. given almost four de- ous types of vehicles that he could not swim. at Camps Springfield where he went. Lewis- Timothy Harris, Senator cades of service to the and journeying on the where he was respon- Bassue said her brother Eugene Hamilton and Federation was laid to weekends and during “I had often enquired sible for maintenance of also loved sport and had Senator Ian Liburd, who rest last week with full the summer to Buckleys how he would rescue the vehicles. a passion for cricket, was a close friend of the military honours and in Estate, where the work drowning people and he football and netball. late Lewis and gave an military uniform in his became the highlight of emotional tribute in hometown of Cayon. his life.” “He did not play any of song. “My brother you had your these sports but would Patrick Nathaniel After graduating high be often be seen in The funeral service at Lewis, 60, was paid his school in 1975, Lewis the park watching the the Bethesda Moravian final respects by family, attended the Technical challenges and lived a Cayon 4g Rockets and Church was followed friends and members of College--now the no CPL game would by a millitary parade the Cayon community Clarence Fitzroy Bryant go without him…he that had officers from who came out to salute College Technical and good life and a full life. It didn’t want to miss a the police, defense the retired law enforce- Vocational division- ball that was bowled in force and prison offi- ment officer, mechanic -where he would fur- a Patriots game,” said cers marching through and welder. ther his studies as a was God’s will that you Lewis-Bassue. Upper Cayon with mechanic. Lewis’ flag-draped cof- ‘Chief’ or ‘Washie’ as She said during the last fin being pulled at the he was known by many, Lewis-Bassue said leave us now so good bye five years, her brother back of a defence force was one of 10 children that in the early 1980s struggled with his health truck, even passing by of Vincent Richards and her brother joined the as he was diabetic and his childhood home. Inez Lewis and was re- Royal St. Christopher my brother I would surely hypertensive and was membered by his sister and Nevis Police often warded at the hos- Lewis was buried at the Jacqelin Lewis-Bassue Force, a job he loved pital. He also struggled parish cemetery and re- who delivered the eulo- because of his belief in miss you, Rest in peace.” with damaged kidneys ceived a 21 gun salute. gy at the funeral service. discipline. after an allergic reac- The flag that covered his tion to some medication coffin was folded and Lewis-Bassue said her “As a police officer and would often jokingly re- “He enjoyed this as it and had to seek dialysis handed over by the head brother had followed a big brother he felt he ply ‘that is why I am the allowed him to be sol- three times per week. of the Defense Force his father’s footsteps to had to keep us in order engineer only concerned dier and mechanic all at Anthony Comery to become a “master me- when mommy couldn’t in sailing the boat’,” once and he would work “With all that happen- his eldest sibling Verna chanic” at only the age and would often threat- said Lewis-Bassue. there until his retirement ing to him, he still had Lewis who accepted it en us with lashes when a good sense of humor on behalf of her mother. Lewis-Bassue said that and would often make Page:4 The St.Kitts Nevis Observer - Friday October 25th, 2019 NEWS EDITORIAL Augustine Merchant bids IICA goodbye Haiti The capture of a group of Haitians in St Kitts highlights the situation of its nationals: they are Caribbean, but not quite.