From staff reports supplied by United Methodist Church of Ludington. Photo courtesy of UMCL.
One woman’s journey with dementia will be explored during “Betty’s Story”, a video presentation followed by a panel discussion at 1 p.m., Sept. 16, at United Methodist Church of Ludington.
Betty Smith, the subject of the video and a former Ludington UMC associate pastor, served many other Michigan UMC congregations. She will be a part of the panel as well as Bill Biergans, her husband and caregiver, and dementia expert Chris Simons from Clark Home in Grand Rapids. Smith and Biergans have resided at Clark Home since 2019.
“Creating this video is an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce the stigma and advocate for those living with this terrible disease,” Smith said. “We can’t change where we are right now, but we can change how we get there if we change peoples’ attitudes. If I can help one person or family, this will be one of the most important things I’ve done.”
Shame, fearfulness and misunderstanding are often associated with memory loss. Instead of hiding her diagnosis, as many do, Smith shared the news with her family from the beginning. Early on, neighbors and friends were also told, a decision supported by Simons.
“I knew I was going to need all the support I could get, and our children are my strength,” Smith said. “But I don’t know what I’d do without Bill.”
Biergans said his wife often experiences hallucinations which they “openly talk about,“ sometimes laughing or crying.
The Rev. Hillary Thurston-Cox, current UMC pastor, said Smith is her mentor and friend, which makes the story even more personal for her.
The United Methodist Church of Ludington is located at 5810 Bryant Road, just west of Jebavy Drive.
To connect with others in Mason County living with their own or a relative’s age-related memory loss, visit the Facebook page Ludington Area Alzheimers and Dementia Support Group.
The Manistee County Council on Aging offers a dementia support group and a new (2023) resource library for caregivers and others at the Wagoner Community Center. To find out more about the support group, contact Jacki Krolczyk at 231-883-1341.
