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 Linda
Fontaine is the Public Education/First Link Coordinator
with the Sudbury-Manitoulin Alzheimer Society.
She was the special guest on Inside Education on
February
11, 2008
.
Linda
provided listeners with some very important background
information about Alzheimer Disease and gave us a good
explanation of the typical symptoms that are exhibited
by people in various stages of this disease. She
explained that alzheimer’s disease is something that
attacks the brain in such a way that people tend to lose
control over their ability to control their emotions and
also to recall information. Many of the people with
Alzheimer’s disease act in ways that are completely
out of context to their situation and often feel as if
they are living in a different time than the one of
which they are currently part.
Alzheimer’s
is part of a larger disease known as dementia, of which
there are about 180 different forms, however,
alzheimer’s constitutes approximately 60% of all
dementia cases.
Linda
pointed out that normal forgetfulness affects all ages,
but with dementia and alzheimer’s the brain actually
shrinks in size and destroys cells. The damage done by
Alzheimer’s is irreversible.
Linda
explained that while a person with Alzheimer's may not
be able to do the things he/she used to do, it is not
the end of the world. The key people in the person’s
life just have to be more patient, especially when it
comes to communication.
When around people with alzheimer’s you must
take things one at a time, and be more deliberate. You
must be prepared for emotional outbursts and avoid
arguing, among everything remembering that you can’t
take anything personally. Being with a person suffering
from alzheimer’s is very much like being with a young
child. Attention span is short and behaviour is often
triggered by something that was not intended to generate
such a result. There is usually always a reason for the
behaviour, but it is not always easy to understand.
Linda
has been in a public relations type of career for many
years. She stated that she loves the job she is in now
because it allows her to really make a difference in the
lives of the people she meets.
She
advises that a young person interested in a public
relations career must be aware of a number of things:
1.
You
must develop a wide and effective network in the
community and be constantly expanding that network. The
more acquaintances you have the better.
2.
You
must be willing to constantly learn about your company
or organization. When dealing with the public they must
have confidence in your knowledge about your subject.
3.
This
is not a
9
to 5
job. You must be flexible and be willing to work in the
evenings and on weekends if necessary.
4.
You
must like being around people.
5.
You
should get into something that you really care about and
that you have a strong passion about.
6.
You
must be extremely organized and be an excellent time
manager.
7.
You
must be willing to accept the fact that you are always
in the public eye. Your image is your most important
asset, so you cannot do anything that may damage your
reputation or tarnish that image.
Linda
agreed that the most successful public relation
professionals are often the ones who have been around
the longest. They are the ones who have established a
strong network in the community and know which doors
will open new opportunities. This is a career that you
can only learn so much from books. You learn most of
your skills through practice and experience. The nice
thing about this career is that you can do it for the
rest of your life and you can get involved in a number
of different sectors of society.
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