Former Atlantic Highlands Mayor Loretta Gluckstein thanked the dozens of borough workers, volunteers, friends, and everyone who make the borough the wonderful hometown it is for everyone.
But she touched more hearts when she brought broad attention to Alzheimer’s Disease, a brain disorder that only gets worse other time.
Mrs. Gluckstein pulled no punches in telling the audience at Thursday’s regular meeting of the Mayor and Council that the disease, which is characterized by changes in the brain, causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die and is the most common cause of dementia; it is a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills.
The former mayor did not talk about the 6.5 million people in the United States over 65 years of age who live with Alzheimer’s disease. Nor did she talk about the 75 million people worldwide with dementia, of whom up to 70% are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease.
Nor did the mayor talk about how the disease eventually progresses to serious memory problems and loss of any ability to perform everyday tasks, the lack of treatment or cures for it, or that complications can result in death.
Instead, Mayor Loretta Gluckstein reminded the crowd who were thanking her for her service to the borough as mayor and in numerous other areas, about the personal impact a person with Alzheimer’s has on everyone else.
For Loretta Gluckstein, it was a love story.
She explained on the few times she has missed official meetings it was because she was home with her mother, a nonagenarian who lives with the Glucksteins in their home on Ocean Blvd. She reminded residents they have often seen her mother with her at official or social functions as well. She said her mom has Alzheimer’s. Then she explained that in spite of anything she has done for the town or any of the organizations she has been in or continues to help, she has a greater duty, and that is to take care of her mother.
As much as she has taken on that duty willingly and happily, Mrs. Gluckstein went on to say she has a great desire to help her mother because she herself had a wonderful childhood and her mother was then, and remains, very special to her.
But then she switched her main point for a minute to accent her husband Steve and told the audience just how much she loves him.
Whether it was to reiterate reasons for her own long happy marriage or to let the audience in on something secret, the former mayor continued, “I love him dearly. Because if you see me and my mother is not with me, then he is.” He is the caregiver who spends so much time with her mother, she explained, her voice choking with emotion.
Both Steve Gluckstein and Loretta’s mother were in the front row of the audience at borough hall, he with his arm holding his mother-in-law close to his side. The husband who never attended any of his wife’s meetings as mayor epitomized what she was telling her friends and neighbors at the public meeting.
Loretta Gluckstein will continue to spend more time caring for her mom now that she is no longer in political office. But she also reminded the crowd before they erupted in a standing ovation for her, “I must give back to my mom and for her, I must do all I can do for anyone who has Alzheimer’s disease.”
A number of conditions can result in memory loss or other dementia symptoms. Some of those conditions can be treated. If you are concerned about your memory or other thinking skills, talk to your health care professional.
If you are concerned about thinking skills you observe in a family member or friend, talk about your concerns and ask about going together to talk to a health care professional.
