WHAT WE ARE
I lost my mom to Alzheimer’s in 2014. Technically, the person I grew up knowing as my mom left us a few years prior to that, as Alzheimer’s gradually robbed her of many of her memories as well as many of the things that made her special and unique. In addition to affecting the quality of her life, the latter stages of her disease also took a toll on my father. Besides having to care for her, he also was afraid to leave her alone, fearing that something bad would happen to her. Maybe she would take all her medication at once. Maybe she would try to cook something and forget she had turned on the oven. Maybe she would go for a walk and forget where she was and be unable to find her way back. I remember frequently asking my dad if he wanted to go out and grab a burger for lunch but he always refused, saying he couldn’t leave my mom.
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There are a lot of truly worthwhile organizations trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Many of them raise thousands upon thousands of dollars trying to either find the cause of the disease or to cure it after it has been diagnosed. While this work is truly admirable, it doesn’t necessarily help the families coping with the day-to-day challenges of dealing with a loved one affected by Alzheimer’s. Those organizations don’t help the spouses or families struggling each day with dozens of challenges that occur while trying to lead a normal life – despite the reality that nothing is normal anymore.
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The Florence K. Bradley Memorial Foundation for Alzheimer’s was founded to give families a brief bit of normalcy, and a respite for caregivers who have accepted the challenge of caring for an Alzheimer’s victim. Very simply, we want to give those caregivers the time to do something as simple as going out and “grabbing a burger” while knowing that the Alzheimer’s sufferer is still receiving care. We have two options available to help these caregivers.
OPTION A: Working with The Tender, an Alzheimer’s respite center based in Mt. Laurel, NJ, we will make financial arrangements to have the Alzheimer’s patient visit this facility every day for one week. This will allow the caregiver time to run errands, visit a doctor, make important phone calls, or simply relax. Meanwhile the Alzheimer’s patient is in a safe, structured environment for a large portion of the day.
OPTION B This program consists of two parts: 1) A licensed caregiver will come to the residence to care for the Alzheimer’s victim for a number of hours. 2) While the Alzheimer’s client is being cared for, the spouse or caregiver will be able to enjoy a meal with friends or other family members at a local restaurant. Both the meal and the care will be paid for by the Florence K. Bradley Memorial Foundation for Alzheimer’s.
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Our mission is, quite simply, to try to allow the caregiver a chance to enjoy some degree of normalcy in their life for a period of time, however brief it may be. Being a caregiver is a demanding job, both physically and mentally, and oftentimes a break is needed and welcomed. We hope that by providing caregivers options to enjoy some time for themselves, all while confidently knowing that the significant other is being cared for, can bring a smile to their face and can help them recharge for the challenges of a new day.