USA: Alzheimer's patient refuses to give up

. PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island / Woonsocket Call / March 15, 2009 “The man who has daily insured himself to habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition and self-denial in unneccessary things, will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him, and when his softer fellow mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast.” By Jon Baker LINCOLN — That used to be one of Val LaFontaine’s key mottos to his troops back in the late ‘60s, when he acted as the first varsity football coach at Seekonk High. Then again, so was “Hit, hit, hit; never quit!” but more about that later. LaFontaine still remembers that latter phrase, despite the fact he suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease, and the 76-year-old man’s daughter, Jeanne Hebert of North Attleboro, credits the staff at the new Albion Court for her father’s renewed spirit. Before LaFontaine became the first resident at this specialized Alzheimer’s care center on Albion Road, one that opened on Feb. 28, Hebert stated her dad had lost all ambition while at a previous site in Providence. “There were times that I thought I lost him completely,” she said while sitting inside the main foyer on Friday afternoon holding back tears. “In the end, I took his philosophy, ‘Hit, hit, hit; never quit!’ I decided we needed another option … What I really wanted was for him to be alive again. When he was at that other site, he would just sit there and stare. He wasn’t receiving the kind of care he should have. “He was just wasting away,” she added. “When a person has Alzheimer’s, what I didn’t realize was you really need to do some research to find the right place for a loved one. I mean, I interviewed everyone here, and I told them what I wanted. I didn’t want him to sit around all day by himself and do nothing. I wanted them to find his triggers and get him going. “What makes this place so special is they did the research on my father. These people have all took the time to discover who the real Val LaFontaine is, what his life was all about. As a social studies teacher, football coach at Seekonk, and later the town’s assistant school superintendent, he treated people with so much respect and dignity, I felt he deserved the same … He was almost dead, but now he’s alive again.” Albion Court was the brainchild of Herb George, owner/president of H.L. George Development Corp. of Bristol, and -- ironically -- a Seekonk native. After his father died in the mid-1980s, he wanted to find a place for his mother, Angelina, to live as she began to experience signs of dementia. “With the onslaught of the disease, I noticed the West Coast had created standalone, specialized Alzheimer’s communities,” George said back in October, long after he had built several independent and assisted living complexes in New England. “About four years ago, I decided the next thing I’d chase was not an assisted living complex with an Alzheimer’s wing, but one strictly for specialized Alzheimer’s care.” The residence consists of four neighborhoods, with a total of 56 apartments for single occupancy, not to mention four larger units for couples, brothers and sisters and the like. The price range: Between $60-65,000 per year for singles. *** George didn’t have to build this residence, which is still undergoing minor finishing touches; he chose to, and Hebert is mighty glad he did. “For nine months, my father was in a place he didn’t belong,” she stated. “It used to be I would go and see him, and I felt so sad. I would visit him every day just to touch him, because I knew that would make his day. Finally, I figured he couldn’t live like that anymore. I went to see a doctor at the Rhode Island Alzheimer’s Association to find out if there was a better life for my dad, and he mentioned Albion Court. “He told me it was a new facility, and I did some research on the Internet. The problem was, it wasn’t open,” she added. “I told the people here that I was going to check out other places to find the best place for my father. Nothing compared.” Hebert noted Sheila Vangyzen, the Court’s Director of Health and Wellness, evaluated LaFontaine and hand-picked the nurses to provide the proper environment and activities for him. His longtime companion, Doris Kusiak, also claimed Jodi Simone, the Life Enrichment Director, created a scrapbook for him “to trigger all of his years of happiness. “It has pictures and stories about his life -- how he attended St. Raphael Academy (Class of 1951) and played football, when he received a full-ride scholarship to play the game at Holy Cross (where he received a Bachelor’s in Industrial Relations/Business Management in 1956), all his years teaching and coaching at Seekonk High, and also him as assistant superintendent,” Kusiak said. “It also has photos of his family, so he can reminisce. “I know staff members went on the Internet to find out about Holy Cross and his playing career, and Jodi admitted she didn’t know anything about football, but it’s an amazing thing,” she continued. “And the director of food services (also a chef), Bart Morton, he actually is going to put together a book with pictures of the food he’ll prepare -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- so he can make decisions as to his daily meals.” Added Hebert: “Bart actually gave me his home phone and cell numbers, and said, ‘Call me if you ever need someone to talk to. Everyone is so accomodating. This place doesn’t feel institutional. It feels more like a home.” *** At that point, Rick Lema, Albion Court’s Environmental Services Manager, strolled in, and indicated he had given LaFontaine a photo of his dad and Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams, who had gone fishing for tuna together. “Val looked at it and said, ‘That’s Ted Williams. I met him one time at Fenway Park,’” Lema said. “He kept saying, ‘Look at him. Boy, he’s in great shape.’ Then he asked who the other gentleman was in the picture, and I said it was my dad. He was thrilled. I know he loves fishing and hunting. He’s always looking out his window to see if he can spot a deer. “I know he’s the home-fixer type, so I also plan on taking him out when I have to paint something, or work on the lawn,” he added. “He’ll love it.” When asked his greatest athletic achievement, LaFontaine claimed it was representing Holy Cross -- as an offensive lineman -- in a regular-season game inside the Orange Bowl, a 26-20 loss to Miami on Oct. 9, 1954. “Can you imagine? Back in those days, we played the likes of Syracuse, Penn State, Boston College and Army,” he grinned. Holy Cross was a great school to attend, and it ranked very high both athletically and academically. I also remember when, at Seekonk, we won the old Narragansett League championship (1970), but I only coached for four years,” before moving on to the assistant superintendent position. “I used to know everything, but I don’t remember everything like I used to,” he continued, almost apologetically. “I wish I did, but -- hey -- I’m an old man now.” As the Warriors’ mentor, he was known as a “tough son of a gun,” but used his favorite phrase “Hit, hit, hit; never quit” philosophy to gain the most from his players. The first hit, Hebert explained, was for his athletes to desire to be the best; the second, to set objectives that are measurable in order to achieve that goal; and, the third, to complete each objective to the best of his ability. “He actually helped 12 kids get into college on scholarships,” she said. “He continued his tradition of helping kids when I was at North Attleboro High. He helped two of my best friends get into Holy Cross, and one of my brother’s best friends into Army. That’s the kind of guy he is, and I’m so happy he’s here. It’s exquisite. He’s found a home, and everybody bends over backwards to help him.” Joann Cardullo, a registered nurse and administrator at Albion Court, directs a workshop for caregivers at Albion Court, in Lincoln. The facility for Alzheimer’s patients will open this weekend. The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach Stated Albion Court administrator Joann Cardullo: “It’s a miracle. Now we’re open, and it’s a dream come true. Herb and seven other local businessmen have been talking about this for 12 years, and we’re just finishing up. We now have three residents, and another coming soon. It warms my heart because we’re helping not only people with Alzheimer’s, but also their families. “They need reassurance, and they need to gain trust and feel their loved one is safe here,” she added. “We’re providing that.” Copyright © 2009 Woonsocket Call