KensingtonlaudedbyU.S.NewsWorldReport

ANGIE HOLLAND

editor@dailydem.com

November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, more than 6.9 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s — and that number is projected to grow to 13.8 million by the year 2060.

The AFA also states that more than 11 million American caregivers provide over 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care.

Krisama Greer, Memory Care manager at The Kensington recently shared with Fort Madison Rotarians that the Kensington can help shoulder some of the burden of caregiving.

Greer has been with The Kensington for a decade, starting as a server and working her way up to Memory Care Manager, a role she has been in for four years.

Following her introduction, she asked Rotarians to raise their hand if they had a loved one or knew someone with dementia or cognitive loss.

“I just wanted to do that to let you guys know that you’re not alone,” she said. “There’s a lot of people that suffer from these disease, there’s a lot of people that deal with this in a way that we can never understand.”

The Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964) is the main one currently entering care communities, Greer said.

According to Stanford Medicine, age is the one of the primary risk factors for dementia. Other factors include genetics or family history, smoking or alcohol use, atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque in arteries), high cholesterol and diabetes, among others.

Statistics and numbers aside, Greer, said, people with cognitive decline are “people that still need love and still need care.”

“These are the people who have raised us, who have worked hard, who have built families. So you’re probably asking ‘why would I move them into a home if they’ve worked their whole life not to go to a home,’” she said. “One thing is really important that you have to understand when dealing with somebody with dementia or a cognitive loss: At some point, you will not be able to take care of them. There is such a thing as caregiver [burnout]. So at some point, you will have to give that up to us. And nothing against you guys, nothing. It’s just that you will have to let us take over. Because at the end of the day, tiring yourself out is going to make it worse for your loved one.”

Just because someone may be losing their memory, Greer said, it doesn’t mean they’ve lost who they are.

“And even when memory begins to fade, they need love, friendship, connection

Kensington Memory Care Manager Krisama Greer talks with Fort Madison Rotarians.

ANGIE

HOLLAND/EDITOR@DAILYDEM.COM

and happiness, because that never goes away,” she said. “That’s why at the Kensington, we put so much effort in keeping our residents active, connected and engaged. We don’t want our residents to feel like they’re not enough; or that they don’t want to go to something because they can’t. That’s one word I hate is I can’t. Because you can. You can try to do it. At least come out and come do this with me.”

Whether it’s music, arts, crafts or any holiday celebration, Greer said she tries to make sure every single resident gets involved, whether it’s with large group activities, smaller group activities, and one-on-one time.

“So we make sure we take 30 minutes a day for one-one-ones with one resident. And that’s why it’s very important for everyone who calls The Kensington their home to know that we are always there for them, we always do things with them, and no matter what, we’re one call away,” she said. “That’s what the residents like to say: they just pick up the phone and we’re there.”

Greer said she is very proud to share that The Kensington was recognized by the U.S. News World Report in 2026 for best memory care community.

“So that means we have done so many activities and we reached out to so many things that we were rated number one,” she said. “And that definitely means a lot to the whole community.”