Help Grandma Sandy

We are currently seeking support to help us with the care for Grandma Sandy, who is currently in need of skilled nursing home care for Alzheimer’s and dementia. My name is Bonnie, and Sandy is my mother. Mom spent most of her life supporting children in need, from early years working in a children’s home for disabled and challenged children, to her later years as a teacher’s aide for special needs children. Her legacy lives on through those students and our family. We need support to help her live.

Gram, second from left, with the family

We have been caring for my mom over the past five years, and now could use a helping hand. Mom’s dementia symptoms have gone from bad to much worse over the past year, and we now have hospice coming in. Mom is in a difficult state. She needs monitored at all times, and she needs someone to take care of all her personal needs. She doesn’t even know me most of the time, and doesn’t recognize family members. She is awake most of the night with hallucinations and tries to get out of bed. She has fallen several times because her body is failing. She can’t really carry on any coherent conversation.

We could not keep her in her nursing home placement because we were denied financial assistance, with a request for more information. I have been trying to get that information, but in the meantime, mom had to move back home with us. One week after she moved back home in July, I had my third heart attack. I am trying to get my own health back on track while also trying to be full time caregiver to her, with help coming in as many days a week as we can afford, and our finances are running dry.

Gram, center, with family members

Hospice helps us with bathing a few days a week and nurses come to see her for her medical needs, but the cost of someone to help care for and stay with her falls on us. Even at five days a week, with a minimum of $10 an hour, for 8-hour days, it’s $1600 a month. We are to the point where we need help for twice that amount of time, but we cannot afford it.

I believe mom will qualify for assistance if I can only get the time to get the records that they need. I can’t do that when my focus is on 24/7 care of mom. I am exhausted and worried about my own health as well. Her current state means that I have to lift her physically to help her in and out of bed and the bathroom. With my recent heart attack, this is just too much.

We have come up with enough for two weeks placement, room and board is out of pocket at $247 a day. We are praying for enough to cover another 30 days (~$7500, with a buffer for any emergency), in a place where she is safe and cared for, while we continue to get the assistance process finished. We have looked at alternate avenues for funds, but they take more time than we may have. We need to ask for our community to help us.

Gram, far left, making memories with family

We are asking for the generosity of people who love and care for us just like we love and care for them. If those we know and love  were to reach out with donations, it would allow us to catch up on things, and give me time to focus on the assistance paperwork. Every bit helps.

I am reaching out with a cry for help! I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and if you can help us out, I will be forever grateful. If you cannot assist financially, we always appreciate prayers and goodwill. Reach out to me if you have questions, and please share the campaign to help spread the word!

Much love,

Bonnie and family