Welcome once again to the Senior Corner.

Today, I'd like to share with you something I believe is a wonderful opportunity for stepping into a temporary volunteer role. Soon, Adult Day Services of Napa Valley will present "Cruising the High Seas," the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center's Eighth Annual Respite Camp.

This activity begins April 20 and ends April 22 at the Enchanted Hills Camp on Mt. Veeder Road.

Though it has a cruise theme, this will be a camping weekend for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The camp is filled with activities specifically designed to benefit the campers. The camp also benefits their caregivers by giving them 48 hours of respite.

There is no charge for the weekend, meals are provided and there will be either an RN or LVN on site the entire weekend.

I urge you to give volunteering some serious thought. I guarantee it'll make you feel better about yourself. These are delightful people and you'll have the time of your life.

There are four shifts available:

Friday, April 20 from 3 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, April 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, April 21, from 3 to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you know someone who has Alzheimer's disease, or is caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia, please let them know about the weekend.

For more information, to register or to be a volunteer, call 258-9087.

As we know, Alzheimer's disease is in the news more and more often. Recently, the Alzheimer's Association released new statistics on the disease, noting that more than 5 million people are living with Alzheimer's, up 10 percent over the last estimate. Up to a half-million of these people may be under the age of 65. The numbers are growing dramatically as baby boomers age.

Alzheimer's can be defined as the most common form of dementia, accounting for well more than half of all cases for people over 65. As defined by the Alzheimer's Foundation, it is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes. Alzheimer's disease is not curable but help is definitely available.

As evidenced by many recent studies, there are many things that one can do to treat the symptoms and increase the quality of life of victims. For what you can do as a person living with Alzheimer's or how caregivers can seek help, check this column in two weeks for a listing of resources.

The article today was written largely by two friends who are very knowledgeable in the field of Alzheimer's disease as well as other forms of dementia: Anne Payne, program manager for the Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center, part of Adult Day Services of Napa Valley, and Kristin Einberger, consultant, facilitator and author focusing on early memory loss issues.

Until next time, we are enjoying your e-mails and thank you for your interest in the Senior Corner.

You can reach me at Bettyrrhodes@sbcglobal.net.