Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Awards $100,000 in Respite Care Grants
(February 7, 2018) The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), a national non-profit organization that unites more than 2,600 member organizations nationwide with the goal of providing optimal care and services to individuals living with dementia and their families—recently awarded a total of $100,000 in respite care grants to 20 of its member organizations across the country.
Grant recipients utilize these funds to provide respite scholarships to families living with Alzheimer’s disease. Respite programs—such as adult day programs—offer caregivers a much-needed time-out from their caregiving duties, while providing stimulation for individuals with Alzheimer’s.
“AFA is proud to award respite care grants in an effort to help family caregivers maintain their own sense of mental and physical health. Nobody is superman. It is important to realize that you can’t do it all,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and chief executive officer of AFA.
“These grants will afford family caregivers an opportunity to send a loved one with dementia to an adult day program, or hire an in-home aid, and lightens their caregiving load, allowing them the critical time necessary to recharge. Respite care ultimately helps people remain in their homes longer and delays the need for a long-term care facility. I congratulate all the grant recipients and encourage them to keep up the great work,” added Mr. Fuschillo.
Family caregivers of individuals with dementia are critical to the quality of life of the care recipients. However, this support often comes at a cost of caregiver distress and with a challenging quality of life. Caregivers face many obstacles as they balance caregiving with other demands, including child rearing, career, and relationships. They are at increased risk for stress, depression, and a variety of other health complications, as well as decreased engagement in preventive health behaviors, such as exercise. There is also a greater likelihood among caregivers of smoking, drinking alcohol, and inadequate sleep.
The grant is named for the deceased parents of Barry Berg, the AFA board’s treasurer. Both of Berg’s parents passed away in 2009. His mother, Phyllis, had Alzheimer’s disease, and his father, Milton, was a devoted caregiver.
Recipients of AFA’s Phyllis and Milton Berg Respite Care Grant, are:
- Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County, Bakersfield, CA
- Caring Days Adult Day Care, Tuscaloosa, AL
- Caroline Medical Adult Day Care, Denton, MD
- CJE Senior Life, Chicago, IL
- COHME, New York, NY
- Collat Jewish Family Health Services, Birmingham, AL
- Community Services of Northern Kentucky dba The Bill & Betsy Scheben Care Center, Florence, KY
- Grace Center for Adult Day Services, Corvallis, OR
- Insight Memory Care Center, Fairfax, VA
- Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County, Shelby, NC
- Mid-Island Y JCC, Plainview, NY
- New Jersey Adult Day Care, Toms River, NJ
- North End Senior Solutions (NESS), Otis, OR
- Pastime Club, Minocqua, WI
- Sandpoint Area Seniors, Sandpoint, ID
- Selfhelp Community Services, New York, NY
- Senior Access, San Rafael, CA
- Senior Citizen Council Rome New York dba Ava Dorfman Senior Community Center, Rome, NY
- The Ark of SC, Summerville, SC
- Woodward Respite Care Fund, Glendale, CO
AFA is able to provide this critical support as a result of the generosity of individual contributions, grants, sponsorships and AFA fundraising activities. To help support these initiatives, please visit www.alzfdn.org/donate.
