As our staff at Governor’s Glen and anyone who provides care and attention to individuals with conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease know, the time and effort required can be huge. By contrast, the rewards may often seem minimal and fleeting. However, Shire, one of the foremost specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world, is determined to let caregivers know how very important and appreciated they are.

At Governor’s Glen we wanted to let you know that each year an invitation is given for individuals to nominate a family member, neighbor, or friend who lovingly and actively provides a dedicated and specific level of care for persons with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. If the one providing such care is 18 years of age or older, is not a healthcare professional, and does not receive compensation directly for such care, he or she may be placed in the running for a BRAVE Award.

This year’s deadline for submitting a nominee is June 30th. Once all the nominations are received, each member of the Selection Committee begins the task of rating every individual submission. At the end of this process, the score given to each nominee by the individual committee members is tallied, culminating in a final Cumulative Caregiver Score.

The ratings are derived by using Shire’s Caregiver Rating Scale that looks at qualities such as dedication, courage, patience and respect, as well as the impact that the caregiver has on the one in need and beyond. For the person whose cumulative score is the highest after the ratings are completed, Shire presents them with the BRAVE Award, including a gift of $10,000 USD or the currency equivalent in his or her country’s currency.

Now is the time to honor the person you know who best exemplifies what the BRAVE Award represents by nominating this friend or loved one. After doing so, then make a mental note to remember to show this person, on a regular basis, just how much he or she is appreciated.