Louisville, KY — As the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease continues to climb, communities across the country will light “candles of care” on Sunday, November 15 to remember those who have passed from the brain disorder and others living with it as part of an annual event sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA).

AFA’s National Commemorative Candle Lighting occurs during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month.

Mercy Sacred Heart Village will hold its candle lighting ceremony in McAuley Hall at Mercy Sacred Heart Village, 2120 Payne Street, 40206, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The ceremony will feature candle lighting, sharing of fond memories and a reading of names in memory and recognition. For more information, call Sister Mary Ellen Curl at (502) 357-5531.

“We are excited to bring this special event to Mercy Sacred Heart Village,” explains Sister Mary Ellen Curl, Spiritual Care Coordinator at Mercy Sacred Heart Village.  “We hope that this will be a way for families dealing with this difficult disease to come together and support each other and honor their loved ones.” Organizations from coast to coast will similarly hold inspirational ceremonies on the same day. It is the seventh year that AFA is sponsoring the annual event.

“These ceremonies foster a strong sense of community and are very therapeutic for families who have been affected by this heartbreaking disease,” said Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and chief executive officer. “Moreover, the event powerfully calls attention to the need to join together to press for optimal care in addition to a cure.”

Alzheimer’s disease, which results in loss of memory and other intellectual functions, currently affects an estimated 2.4 million to 4.5 million Americans. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

National Commemorative Candle Lighting is one of AFA’s ongoing national initiatives to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses. On November 17, sites across the nation will provide free, confidential memory screenings and education about successful aging as part of AFA’s annual National Memory Screening Day.  In addition, AFA is assembling the nation’s first grand-scale dementia-related quilt, the AFA Quilt to Remember.

AFA, based in New York, is a nonprofit organization that unites more than 1,200 member organizations nationwide with the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia, and to their caregivers and families. Its services include a toll-free hot line, educational materials, a free quarterly magazine for caregivers and professional training. For more information about AFA and its November events, call toll-free 866-AFA-8484 or visit alzfdn.org.