{"id":1034,"date":"2017-06-22T01:59:09","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T05:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=1034"},"modified":"2017-06-22T01:59:09","modified_gmt":"2017-06-22T05:59:09","slug":"from-friendship-to-family-a-life-of-volunteering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=1034","title":{"rendered":"From friendship to family: A life of volunteering"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Terry Rutleg was one of 20 seniors who were recently awarded the Ontario Senior Achievement Award, which is given to those who have provided significant contributions to their communities. He was recognized for his work over the past five years with the Alzheimer’s Society of London and Middlesex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Joel Wittnebel\/Active Senior’s Digest<\/p>\n

From small talk, to card games to care giving, as an Alzheimer\u2019s companion Terry Rutledge is a swiss army knife of kindness and compassion. A lifelong volunteer, his dedication recently culminated in his receipt of one of Ontario\u2019s top honours for volunteer work.<\/p>\n

The Ontario Senior Achievement Awards are handed out annually to individuals who have provided significant contributions to their communities. In 2016, 20 individuals were handed the honour, including Rutledge for his work over the past five years with the Alzheimer\u2019s Society of London and Middlesex.<\/p>\n

While remaining quite humble about his volunteering, Rutledge says he was honoured to receive the award.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo tell you the honest truth, I felt that there was people more suiting than me,\u201d he says. \u201cBut, I felt very, very privileged to be amongst the group of people that got it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before retiring in 2005, the 69-year-old worked in automotive sector for Silver Line Motor Products in London, a job he started at the early age of 14. Along with that, Rutledge says he\u2019s been volunteering all his life, holding previous roles with the Optimist Club and Scouts.<\/p>\n

Rutledge has been married for 46 years to his wife Betty, they have one son and a 14-year-old grandchild.<\/p>\n

Through his wife\u2019s work with the Alzheimer\u2019s Society, Rutledge got involved in the organization\u2019s annual Walk for Alzheimer\u2019s event before moving into the companion program.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s here that Rutledge says he\u2019s found his most rewarding position yet.<\/p>\n

Currently, Rutledge has been meeting with his companion Bill, who suffers from the debilitating disease, several times a week for the past four years. According to Rutledge, the pair hang out like long time friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve become very good friends,\u201d he says. \u201cBill is so funny, he\u2019s always got a joke and him and I share interests together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether that\u2019s through watching movies, or discussing the intricacies of certain battles in the American Civil War, playing cards, or just discussing \u201clife in general\u201d, Rutledge says there\u2019s never a dull moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe get\u2019s a little rambunctious and he has to be calmed down and I\u2019ll help him with that,\u201d Rutledge says.<\/p>\n

At times, Rutledge\u2019s wife has even had to call and inquire about about where he is, after having overstayed his set visiting time with Bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel he is enriched from my visit and I\u2019m certainly enriched from his companionship,\u201d he says. \u201cI never, ever, don\u2019t want to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, with the highs come the lows in this line of volunteering.<\/p>\n

Bill is Terry\u2019s third companion, as he has seen the previous two pass away. He\u2019s worried the same could be happening to his friend right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very hard at times. He\u2019s unfortunately progressing,\u201d he says of Bill.<\/p>\n

Sadly, Bill is not alone, according to Statistics Canada dementia is the most common form of neurodegenerative disorder. Data from 2010 estimated that 35.6 million worldwide were living with some form of dementia. A number that is expected to double over the next 20 years.<\/p>\n

And while Betty is set to retire this year, Terry says he has no plans of slowing down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not thinking that way because I feel young,\u201d he says, noting that he\u2019s going to continue to do whatever it takes to help Bill.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a friend out there that has got a problem, and if I can do anything to help him with that problem, I\u2019ll do it,\u201d he says. \u201cHe\u2019s a friend, and they\u2019ve told me I\u2019m part of their family now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Joel Wittnebel\/Active Senior’s Digest From small talk, to card games to care giving, as an Alzheimer\u2019s companion Terry Rutledge is a swiss army knife […] Read More<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1003,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom friendship to family: A life of volunteering - Active Senior's Digest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=1034\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From friendship to family: A life of volunteering - Active Senior's Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Joel Wittnebel\/Active Senior’s Digest From small talk, to card games to care giving, as an Alzheimer\u2019s companion Terry Rutledge is a swiss army knife […] Read More\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=1034\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Active Senior's Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-06-22T05:59:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/senior_volunteer.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"662\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"active\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/\",\"name\":\"Active Senior's Digest\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/?p=1034#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/senior_volunteer.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/activeseniorsdigest.ca\/wp_activeseniorsdigest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/senior_volunteer.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":662,\"caption\":\"Terry Rutleg was one of 20 seniors who were recently awarded the Ontario Senior Achievement Award, which is given to those who have provided significant contributions to their communities. 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