Supporting MemoryCare

“Thank you MemoryCare! I know I could not help her without you all.”

~ Alexandra Cedeno, MemoryCare Caregiver

MemoryCare is dedicated to helping families affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Our integrated approach in caring for patients and families creates a partnership that is unique in treating dementia in a family. We rely on charitable donations for every family served. We are committed to raising additional funds to ensure that no family is denied services due to inability to pay.

You may wonder why a medical program relies on charitable contributions. Because of the comprehensive nature of our appointments with both our patients and their families, only a portion of our services are covered by Medicare and other insurance providers. We rely on a cost-sharing system between caregiver fees and charitable donations to support the remaining cost of the program.

MemoryCare is a community-based, charitable, nonprofit organization – that is, we are local, we offer care to anyone with need, and we rely on support from the community to be here.

For information on how you can support MemoryCare, click the link below or contact Elizabeth Stavish at Stavish@MemoryCare.org

One Family’s Story

By Dale Rusk
Caregiver

“Any journey begins with a single step.  For Betty and me, it began with the diagnosis of early stage dementia by Dr. Noel.  We were guided along this frightening and difficult path by a wonderful and caring staff which we came to see not only as gifted professionals, but as caring friends:  Friends we trusted to guide us along a path which had many twists, turns and pitfalls.  They were always available to explain and anticipate new and sometimes frightening events.  They gave me, the caregiver, suggestions as to when adult day care needed to become a part of our life.  Finally, the most difficult decision as to when it was time to move Betty to full time nursing care in a facility which was close enough for me to maintain contact.  They helped me to come to realize that I was not abandoning her, only making sure that she was well cared for, and that the time had come when Betty’s needs had exceeded my ability, not my desire, to care for her.

Moving Betty to a nursing facility was the most difficult thing I have ever done.  In the nursing facility, Betty was cared for 24 hours a day when it was hazardous to Betty and me to continue in home care.

Although the journey was not an easy one for us, the resources available at MemoryCare made it endurable.  They helped me avoid many medical and emotional pitfalls.  For this reason, I believe the people of Western North Carolina are fortunate to have the resources of MemoryCare available.  To ensure that MemoryCare will be available to those who need it in the future, I have created an investment account that will further fund MemoryCare when I join my beautiful and loving wife in our heavenly home.  I encourage anyone who has a spouse, relative or friend who has Alzheimer’s to join me in that effort.  Any gift, small or large, will insure that MemoryCare is available to those who will need it in the future.  They may never know your name or shake your hand, but they will bless you when the time comes for them to need MemoryCare. “