Known more for his work as a defenceman on the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, Liam Murray is taking on a new role off the ice as an ambassador for the Alzheimer Society of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.
His first day was spent meeting with staff and sitting in on a men’s drop-in program for individuals dealing with the illness.
Murray has a strong personal connection to the community role.
“My grandfather, who is 72 now, was diagnosed four years ago at 68 and he was a very important man in my life having lived with him for five years,” said Murray.
Over the last eight months, his grandfather’s condition has progressed rapidly, creating a big learning curve for Murray and his family.
“Things like aggression start and isolation. Then it really, for us, it started to pick up significantly, the level of care that we had to provide and the options that we had to start looking into,” Murray said.
Options that can include long-term care, social workers, and Personal Support Workers, to mention a few.
Families face difficult decisions as they struggle to learn what can be done to help their loved one.
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Program coordinator, Candice McMullen, says that’s where the Alzheimer Society plays an important role by providing education, support, and programming for patients and their caregivers.
“We have client service coordinators who meet with families to talk about the stress of the disease and how we can help, and help with services and then myself who run programs here and in the community,” McMullen said.
The Alzheimer Society wants to reach out and develop greater ties with youth in the community and the Society’s executive director, Vicki Possley, says Murray as their ambassador could play a big role in attaining that goal.
“We’re going to have Liam out in schools. We’re hoping to organize some presentations to both elementary and secondary schools,” Possley said.
Possley hopes that might mean more volunteers for their companion program that Murray has also signed up for.
It matches young people with those living with the condition.
“He will go out and he will provide socialization and stimulation to a person living with the illness and the caregiver will then again have respite,” Possley said.
There are about 4,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in this region and over half a million across the country.
Helping them is as big a goal for Murray as helping his team on the ice.
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