Depression Support Coalition Presentation: How to Manage Depression: Care Givers and Care Receivers

Managing depression is never easy – not for the person in the depths of illness nor for those around them. Tom and Julie Allen know this all too well, and they will share their story on Thursday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minn. Their talk is titled “How to Manage Depression: Care Givers and Care Receivers.” The presentation is part of the educational speaker series sponsored by the Depression Support Coalition, whose mission is to inform, educate, support, and cultivate a community of spiritual hope for those affected by depression – as well as their families.

Julie Allen was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's in January of 2010 at age 57 and her husband Tom is her caregiver. Upon receiving the diagnosis, both Tom and Julie were devastated. The couple, now married for 38 years, left the doctor’s office, walked to their car, climbed into the back seat and cried. It is not uncommon for depression and Alzheimer's to go hand in hand, both for the care giver and the care receiver. Tom and Julie will talk about the impact depression has had on them and how others can learn from their experiences.

As a result of Julie's illness, the couple has had to make major changes in their lives. At the time of her diagnosis, Julie was a self-employed organization development consultant working with for-profit and nonprofit organizations, providing facilitation, conflict resolution, strategic planning, and speaking. When she could no longer meet the demands of her profession, Julie had to stop working. At the time, Tom was executive director of a thriving non-profit organization but he, too, has had to leave that career behind in order to be more available to support Julie. Today, he is a spiritual director on staff at Loyola Spirituality Center in St. Paul.