Why are we starting an advocacy group for mental health, elderly, and community associations? Although we are organizing this in Florida, we hope that, in the long run, others will carry our torch in other states.
When serving as the Treasurer for my condominium association, I halted the foreclosure of a destitute owner with advanced dementia who had no family and whose only asset was his condominium.
What would have happened had the foreclosure continued? Since the local police supervise evictions, they would have likely referred him to the proper agency so he could be placed in a facility. Or maybe not. Even though Florida law encourages police officers to become aware of dementia-related issues, this is a learning process, and it will take time for this to become second nature with many.
What would happen if a demented resident is turned out in the street by an eviction? If a lost and wandering dementia patient is not found within two days, experts say there is a one in four chance they will be found face down drowned in a ditch or canal. But if someone is not looking for a demented patient, the odds are far worse.
Why Are Dementia Patients Who Wander So Drawn to Water? Why Do They Drown?
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/why-are-dementia-patients-who-wander-so-drawn-to-water-why-do-they-drown/
https://youtu.be/aZMgG1YzpD0
Rotary https://youtu.be/FrW0fJbk-vg
This sparked a condominium war, in which only a few fellow owners supported my efforts to slow down the proceedings and have the court appoint a guardian, who could place him in an appropriate lockdown facility, sell his unit, and pay his overdue condominium maintenance fees. His demented behavior had turned most of his neighbors, and perhaps his estranged sister, against him.
Today, our condominium association is forming a committee to determine how to help our neighbors who suffer from dementia and mental health issues.
What can we do to resolve this? Many property managers, and condo board members, blindly follow the “No Pay, No Stay” rule, saying they do not want to run a nursing home. How can we change this human dynamic?
We plan to lobby the Florida Legislature to require condominium property managers and board members to learn the basics of when they should suspect mental health conditions, and who to call for diagnosis and assistance. This would be part of their professional examinations and education. This is a realist goal, I do believe, as our story is quite compelling.
How I Halted a Foreclosure on a Destitute Owner with Advanced Dementia! We Discuss Dementia
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/how-i-halted-foreclosure-on-owner-with-advanced-dementia-reflecting-on-dementia/
https://youtu.be/_uAJPCCRNQ8
Rotary https://youtu.be/FrW0fJbk-vg
We are asking for support to achieve these objectives by reimbursing our lobbying and education expenses. We will cooperate rather than compete with the various non-profit and trade organizations, including CAI (Community Associations Institute), Alzheimer’s Association, NAMI, and other public interest advocacy groups. We will seek to raise awareness with the various Rotary clubs and other non-profit organizations, in particular the Kiwanis and Lions clubs.
These three named organizations were formed in the early twentieth century, and they are each primarily service organizations, founding their ethos on the Golden Rule: To love and seek the good, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Our ethos extends this: Love your neighbor as yourself, even when they are demented, autistic, or just plain ornery and difficult.
Bruce’s reflection on: Why I Joined Rotary, History and Philosophy of Rotary
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/history-and-philosophy-of-rotary-international-and-my-personal-experience/
https://youtu.be/gN6tb3YawI0
Rotary https://youtu.be/EkJhGcE5-Oc
In 2017, Steve Leifman, an associate administrative judge for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County, was one of the authors of an article in the Atlantic magazine: How Mental-Health Training for Police Can Save Lives and Taxpayer Dollars. Currently, the continuing CIT Training for Florida policemen is optional, we propose that this be mandatory.
Wellness Checks for Dementia: Police and Mental Illness
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/wellness-checks-for-dementia-police-and-mental-illness/
https://youtu.be/z_SlPLARCxU
Rotary https://youtu.be/nm3OUG5JHY0
We will also promote best practices for community associations, including the calculation of full reserves for SIRS assets. The Florida Statutes require that the reserve funds for SIRS assets for larger condominium associations be fully funded, but does not precisely define what that means. By default, this means that the reserve reporting firm determines when the reserves will be fully funded, and the national industry standard is up to thirty years, which is clearly not best practice for SIRS assets.
We propose that an alternative funding plan for reserves for SIRS assets contain a safe harbor, so that if the reserve plan is fully funded within ten years, then the SIRS reserves will be deemed to be fully funded, subject to DBPR oversight.
Sun Sentinel Editorial: We Need a Safe Harbor in Condo Safety Law
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/04/06/we-need-a-safe-harbor-in-condo-safety-law-opinion/
https://bit.ly/4n06zkS
When we shared our idea of incorporating a safe harbor period into the Alternative Funding Method, as I discussed in our editorial, many legislators thought this was an excellent idea. They stated that if we had initiated our lobbying effort earlier, we would have better success at persuading the legislature to enact it into law.
If we lobby for this in the summer, after the special sessions end, we have an excellent chance of gaining traction.
https://x.com/BruceStrom500/status/1905310604287418422
http://bit.ly/4hsH9u0
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/condominium-reserves-and-florida-legislative-round-table-with-senators-pizzo-and-bradley-february-2025/
https://wp.me/pachSU-1lX
We plan to advocate before the Community Association Institute, both locally and nationally, as well as support many of their Florida lobbying efforts. We are a member of the local chapter, and hope to publish articles in their local and national magazines as well as the Florida Community Association Magazine. Each regional chapter has their own set of web pages as well. Florida has several chapters.
https://www.caionline.org/
https://cai-seflorida.org/
We plan to advocate to the Alzheimer’s Association, both locally and nationally, as well as support their Florida lobbying efforts. We are a volunteer for their walk and organize several Rotary and church teams.
The Alzheimer’s Association has a totally free 24-7 hotline manned by professionals, as caretakers may require assistance any day, any time.
Many mental health non-profit organizations sponsor walks in Broward and Miami-Dade counties in Florida, and in many cities and counties across the United States, and other countries, which are great projects for Rotary Clubs, and other organizations. You simply form a team and show up for the Saturday morning event. Since the national Rotary organization donates to the Alzheimer’s Association, local Rotary clubs are provided with a tent without further fundraising requirements. Many of the other walks will also provide a tent for Rotary clubs. Most of these walks are in the fourth quarter of the year in South Florida.
https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/FL-SoutheastFlorida?pg=entry&fr_id=19535
https://www.namiwalks.org/home
https://movingdaywalk.org/
https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/2025ImpactPartners
We will support the efforts of the Autism Hero Project non-profit organization that has been active and Illinois and has recently opened a Florida branch. They champion increased training for police departments as well as a Blue Envelope program. Young autistic drivers would be issued a Blue Envelope that describes their condition, so any police officer pulling them over can understand that they do not respond well to flashing lights and brusque commands.
https://www.autismheroproject.org/
We support the efforts of the Rotary Mental Health Action Groups efforts to improve the care give to children and adolescents suffering from mental health challenges.
Bob Anthony On Improving Children’s Mental Health with Boston Children’s Hospital
https://youtu.be/fuUHJg4b8YA
Rotary https://youtu.be/Jn5EbTR7e4k
We have a reflection on how church groups, small cities, Rotary clubs, and other organizations can sponsor their own health and wellness seminars that include discussions on dementia and mental illness.
DEMENTIA AND MENTAL HEALTH TOPICS
We have published several dozen reflections on mental health and aging topics that we will publicize through our website. Some of these will be the basis of articles submitted to local and national media.
Now we will review various reflections on dementia, aging, and mental health which we plan to reference on our upcoming advocacy website.
If you are curious about neurological diseases and conditions, you will find the story of Phineas Gage fascinating; every series of introductory psychology lectures tells his story. Every medical student will likely read the equally fascinating collection of neurological case studies in The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.
Neurological Case Studies Including the Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, and the Curious Story of Phineas Gage
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/case-studies-including-the-man-who-mistook-his-wife-for-a-hat-and-the-curious-story-of-phineas-gage/
https://youtu.be/tBZIs0YZ05A
Rotary https://youtu.be/Yp0nOLii92A
When the fourth wife of Glen Campbell described their life from the decade before his dementia diagnosis, and then his diagnosis and how his dementia evolved until his passing, she gifted us perhaps the most complete case study of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s.
Glen Campbell Suffering from Alzheimer’s, Early Signs and Symptoms
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/glen-campbell-suffering-from-alzheimers-early-signs-and-symptoms/
https://youtu.be/F9NmDiiPowI
Rotary https://youtu.be/xCq8RNyy-KU
The daughter of Rita Hayworth was one of the original fundraisers for the fledgling Alzheimer’s Association, as her mother was one of the first celebrities to admit their diagnosis. Tony Bennett also suffered from dementia. The story of Glen Campbell’s and Tony Bennett’s final concerts are touching.
Tony Bennett and Rita Hayworth: Their Struggle With Alzheimer’s
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/tony-bennett-and-rita-hayworth-their-struggle-with-alzheimers/
https://youtu.be/4ujlV3a7Il8
Rotary https://youtu.be/Y5wxSLyUSsI
The book, Travelers to Unimaginable Lands, contains case studies of caretakers of those who suffer from dementia and other neurological disorders, which would be a great encouragement for those facing the challenges of living with these disorders.
Problems Family Caretakers Face When Caring for Loved Ones Suffering From Dementia
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/problems-family-caretakers-face-when-caring-for-loved-ones-suffering-from-dementia/
https://youtu.be/VqR7y0Z8bYk
Rotary https://youtu.be/ePgQG8WAxL8
We have about a dozen reflections on aging, retirement, and suicide by ancient Stoic philosophers, Church Fathers, the Christian psychologist Paul Tournier, Jimmy Carter, and others. The ancient Greeks and Romans were more tolerant of suicides than we are today, possibly in part because their doctors did not have access to the pain medications we have today.
YouTube Playlist on: Old Age and Retirement
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVlY2bjK8lhYGJAe3yctJqdRIWqwjtYm
YouTube Playlist on: Dementia and Psychology
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVlY2bjK8lgYFj5b6w1OlsWkviazLeWX
Sunrise Police Chief Daniel Ransone spoke on policing and mental health. Recently, the Alzheimer’s Association proposed legislation requiring that optional mental health training be included in the CIT Police Training courses, which the Florida Legislature passed. How do you prioritize law and order with the need to safeguard the mental health of those whom officers encounter every day on their beat? The Sunrise Police Department has recently hired several social workers for their staff.
Sunrise Police Chief Daniel Ransone on Policing & Mental Health, Sunrise Rotary, May 2025
https://youtu.be/OsBZ6FnotxE
Rotary https://youtu.be/8NWzxq_2QYE
We had David Sanderson of the Weston Rotary Club, Florida, speak on how his brother developed Parkinson’s disease, plus his work for the Parkinson’s Foundation. We also reviewed Michael J Fox’s book on his experiences living and coping with Parkinson’s disease, plus we get a glimpse into how movie stars’ lives differ from our own.
David Sanderson, Parkinson’s Foundation, on Detecting and Combatting Parkinsons’s, Sunrise Rotary, March 2025
https://youtu.be/aVTVpzyq9aw
Rotary https://youtu.be/YgA7YMnC4Ic
Michael J Fox and Parkinson’s Disease: His Symptoms and Struggles
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/michael-j-fox-and-parkinsons-diseasel-symptoms-and-stuggles/
https://youtu.be/FmkrFanUc-0
rotary https://youtu.be/9NCTaqDY-PU
These reflections refer to a Sunrise Community Police Academy course I recently participated in. Many residents take this course to learn about the challenges the police face every day on their beats, and afterwards you can apply for a Community Service Aide position. This course includes many of the same topics and simulations from the local police academy. Many police departments, from necessity, have included mental health courses in their police training. Previous articles from a decade ago emphasized the militarization of the police; this does not appear to be the case in South Florida. Experiencing the local police academy would be an interesting article.
Sunrise Community Police Academy: What is New? Cameras, Technology, Guns, SWAT Team, and More
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/sunrise-community-police-academy-cameras-technology-guns-swat/
https://youtu.be/PkrptOl3qLA
Rotary: https://youtu.be/CeG7WPhRLz8
Policing in America: What Has Changed? Mental Health, Canine Patrols, 911 Call Centers
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/sunrise-community-police-academy-mental-health-canine-info-911-call-center/
https://youtu.be/iNZVDElHOv8
Rotary: https://youtu.be/lhH-b6IPL7s
We reflected on the history of Rotary International. Rotary was founded over a century ago as a service organization, and provided input in establishing the United Nations relief organizations after World War II. Rotary supports non-profits and educational endeavors locally, nationally, and internationally. I also discuss why I joined Rotary, and some of the benefits of joining Rotary.
Bruce’s reflection on: Why I Joined Rotary, History and Philosophy of Rotary
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/history-and-philosophy-of-rotary-international-and-my-personal-experience/
https://youtu.be/gN6tb3YawI0
Rotary https://youtu.be/EkJhGcE5-Oc
Another reflection will include a compendium of reflections on Morality, Philosophy, and History, in roughly their order of views. We can also speak on these topics for local Rotary and other clubs.
The articles that will be referenced on our Advocates’ website will be housed on our Reflections on Morality, Philosophy, and History YouTube channel, blog, and our SlideShare PowerPoint sites.
How My Reflections Offer Fresh Perspectives in Morality, Philosophy, and History
https://seekingvirtueandwisdom.com/previews-of-favorite-reflections-on-morality-philosophy-andhistory/
https://youtu.be/2HHzol1ASUs
The overall theme of our Advocacy Group is: How To Love Your Neighbor, and the corollary: How To Love Your Neighbor, even when they suffer from dementia, autism, or mental illness.
My journalism experience includes articles in trade journals and editorials, including a stint as Contributing Editor for the Computers In Accounting/Accounting Technology magazine. Plus, I was the editor, as well as reporter, ad salesman, typesetter and layout, for the small-town weekly Mayo Free Press after I graduated from college. I am the Treasurer of my condominium association and will be taking the CAM exam for property managers in 2026, mainly for journalistic credentials.
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