5 for Good: Hilliard's Chocolates celebrates 100 years, raises funds to support Alzheimer's Association

IMPACTED BY THE DISEASE. IS. INTO THIS BUBBLING BUTTER, SUGAR AND SALT MIXTURE GOES CRUNCHY ALMONDS. CANDY HAS BEEN STIRRED UP IN THIS VERY COPPER KETTLE FOR POSSIBLY 100 YEARS. THIS COULD BE ORIGINAL TO THE BUSINESS. I MEAN, THIS IS A 1920 STOVE. THIS TOFFEE ALMOND CRUNCH, A SIGNATURE TREAT OF HILLIARD CHOCOLATES. OH MY GOODNESS, IT’S STILL WARM AT THEIR CANDY KITCHEN IN NORTH EASTON. SPECIAL CARE IS TAKEN MAKING EACH AND EVERY MOUTHWATERING MORSEL. THAT’S BEEN THE CASE SINCE 1924. MEGAN DECK IS THE FOURTH GENERATION OF HER FAMILY TO BE RUNNING THE BUSINESS. MY SISTER AND I TOOK OVER IN 2021 WHEN MY PARENTS RETIRED, AND SO WE’RE JUST HAVE THE HONOR OF CARRYING ON OUR FAMILY LEGACY. TO CELEBRATE, HILLIARD CENTENNIAL, MEGAN AND HER SISTER ARE HONORING A SPECIFIC FAMILY MEMBER, THEIR FATHER, WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER’S IN 2019. AND WE THOUGHT TO COMMEMORATE OUR 100 YEARS, AND IN HONOR OF MY DAD, WE COULD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION. AND THEY’RE RAISING MONEY FOR THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION WITH SALES OF THEIR NEW SWEET MEMORIES CHOCOLATE ASSORTMENT. MY DAD WAS A BIG VANILLA CREAM FAN. WE HAVE HERE FOR THE OLD FASHIONED, WHICH IS A VANILLA CREAM AND A BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE. SO ALL THESE CHOCOLATES ARE ORIGINAL RECIPES THAT DATE BACK TO 1924, WITH A COUPLE MODERN PIECES AS WELL. COINCIDENTALLY, AS THIS FUNDRAISING EFFORT IS UNDERWAY, SO IS AN EFFORT TO EDUCATE AND CONNECT FAMILIES IMPACTED BY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. KATIE BRANDT IS THE DIRECTOR OF CAREGIVER SUPPORT IN THE FRONTOTEMPORAL DISORDERS UNIT AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. RIGHT NOW IN MASSACHUSETTS. THEY ESTIMATE THERE’S AROUND 135,000 INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST RISK FACTORS IS AGE. AND SO AS OUR POPULATION GROWS AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LIVE LONGER, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, BUT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO PROTECT OUR BRAINS, KEEP THEM STRONG AND RESILIENT AGAINST THESE DISEASES. BRANDT IS AMONG THE EXPERTS TAKING PART IN EDUCATING AMERICA, A CONFERENCE COMING TO BOSTON JUNE 12TH, PUT ON BY THE ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA. CAREGIVER HOURS, FAMILY MEMBERS OF LOVED ONES LIVING WITH A DIAGNOSIS CAN REGISTER FOR FREE, AND THEY CAN COME AND GET, YOU KNOW, ACCURATE INFORMATION TO HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE STRATEGIES AND TOOLS FOR CARE PLANNING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES. IT WAS CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION THAT MEGAN SAID REALLY HELPED HER MOTHER AFTER HER FATHER’S DIAGNOSIS. SHE HAD A SUPPORT GROUP THAT SHE WOULD GO TO, UM, WEEKLY, AND SHE ALSO WAS ABLE TO BRING MY DAD AND THEY, YOU KNOW, WOULD GIVE HIM SUPPORT AT THE SAME TIME AS GIVING HER SUPPORT, BRANDT ADDING THAT WITH SUPPORT, SWEET MEMORIES WHILE LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S SHOULD BE THE GOAL. OFTEN TIMES AFTER FAMILIES RECEIVE A DIAGNOSIS, THEY MIGHT THINK, OH, IT’S JUST ALL TERRIBLE, BUT REALLY, YOU CAN MAKE NEW MEMORIES OF JOY AND LIVE WITH PURPOSE EVEN AFTER A DIAGNOSIS. AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HILLIARDS SWEET MEMORIES TINS THE EDUCATING AMERICA CONFERENCE AND THE FRONTOT