Care for Geno
Donation protected
Geno is 69 years old. He was diagnosed with young onset/early stage Alzheimer's Disease at 62. He started showing symptoms 2-3 years prior, but we didn't know what was going on.
Geno and I were married on June 26, 1982, 36 years ago. We have raised two sons, Ben and Owen. Our family was very thankfully formed through adoption. They both came to us through Open Adoption at birth.
Geno was a Special Education teacher, firewood supplier, track coach and placer gold miner over the course of our adventuresome years together.
Upon the onset of AD we were able to continue our lifestyle to a lesser degree with each passing year as he lost more and more cognitive abilities. Working was out almost immediately, but he was still able to camp, gold mine and run for a while. When all else was falling away he could still run.... So I had him join a local running team, Sierra Gold. With a teammate at his side at every training session and in every race he was able to compete in local 5k races for 3 years! The past year even that skill began to disappear. He got lost 7 times over a period of 4 months. Fortunately for us some kind neighbor, or complete stranger would bring him home.
This is a man who is in the Athletic Hall of Fame at California State University Chico and is still listed in the top 10 for both the 800 m and the mile!
His time spent with caregivers increased until he was with them 5 days a week, at an out of pocket cost of over $1,500/month.
On April 27, 2018, I placed him in Sierra Ridge Memory Care in Auburn, CA. It was the right timing for both of us. My health was beginning to suffer and I knew I had to trust that someone else could take over his care. Geno has adapted easily to his new living situation and is cared for with loving care "In the Moment".
However, this loving care comes with a hefty price tag. Beginning August 1 my out of pocket cost will jump from an introductory fee of $3,000/month to $5,200/month because of his toileting issues (he pees in the hallways because he doesn't know where the bathrooms are AND he doesn't know how to tell anyone that he needs to go) besides needing help dressing and showering.
MediCal does not kick in until someone requires skilled nursing, ie, is bedridden. Geno won't qualify for that for a long time, unless he falls and breaks a hip or gets pneumonia. Wonderful choices.
So in a nutshell, within one year I will have no more money, he will still need care, and I will probably have to sell our home for his continued care, leaving me destitute.
I never in my wildest dreams ever expected to be in this kind of situation. But here it is. Geno and I need financial help.
Thank you for your consideration.
Geno and I were married on June 26, 1982, 36 years ago. We have raised two sons, Ben and Owen. Our family was very thankfully formed through adoption. They both came to us through Open Adoption at birth.
Geno was a Special Education teacher, firewood supplier, track coach and placer gold miner over the course of our adventuresome years together.
Upon the onset of AD we were able to continue our lifestyle to a lesser degree with each passing year as he lost more and more cognitive abilities. Working was out almost immediately, but he was still able to camp, gold mine and run for a while. When all else was falling away he could still run.... So I had him join a local running team, Sierra Gold. With a teammate at his side at every training session and in every race he was able to compete in local 5k races for 3 years! The past year even that skill began to disappear. He got lost 7 times over a period of 4 months. Fortunately for us some kind neighbor, or complete stranger would bring him home.
This is a man who is in the Athletic Hall of Fame at California State University Chico and is still listed in the top 10 for both the 800 m and the mile!
His time spent with caregivers increased until he was with them 5 days a week, at an out of pocket cost of over $1,500/month.
On April 27, 2018, I placed him in Sierra Ridge Memory Care in Auburn, CA. It was the right timing for both of us. My health was beginning to suffer and I knew I had to trust that someone else could take over his care. Geno has adapted easily to his new living situation and is cared for with loving care "In the Moment".
However, this loving care comes with a hefty price tag. Beginning August 1 my out of pocket cost will jump from an introductory fee of $3,000/month to $5,200/month because of his toileting issues (he pees in the hallways because he doesn't know where the bathrooms are AND he doesn't know how to tell anyone that he needs to go) besides needing help dressing and showering.
MediCal does not kick in until someone requires skilled nursing, ie, is bedridden. Geno won't qualify for that for a long time, unless he falls and breaks a hip or gets pneumonia. Wonderful choices.
So in a nutshell, within one year I will have no more money, he will still need care, and I will probably have to sell our home for his continued care, leaving me destitute.
I never in my wildest dreams ever expected to be in this kind of situation. But here it is. Geno and I need financial help.
Thank you for your consideration.
Organizer
Cathy Anderson-Meyers
Organizer
Grass Valley, CA