Help Jocelyn Receive Essential Housing & Alzheimer’s Care

Jocelyn is my surrogate mother. Her daughter Emily has been my best friend since childhood, and their home was my refuge from an abusive family life when I was growing up. A warm, generous and creative woman, she has worked as a third grade teacher, a photographer, and a career coach for creatives. She is a genius gift-giver, has a talent for finding great little restaurants, and makes friends easily wherever she goes. She’s been there for me when I was struggling. Now she is in a difficult situation after developing severe Alzheimer’s disease, and needs help to receive the care she requires.

I'm writing to ask for your help. Even the smallest amount helps.

Joce’s Story

In 2007 Jocelyn had a stroke that caused permanent brain damage, affecting her memory, speech and coordination. She was on life support in the ICU for 30 days, and then in acute rehab for months; the bills wiped out nearly all of her savings. Despite the brain damage, she has been able to live mostly independently, on an extremely limited income, with the aid of whatever gifts her family and friends have been able to provide.

Then in April 2024, Jocelyn went missing. We searched for hours, and when we found her she had no idea where she was. Three months later she was diagnosed with sudden-onset, irreversible Alzheimer’s dementia. She doesn't know where she is, where home is, what year it is or how old she is. While still sweet and charming, she can no longer live independently, cook, manage her medications or even safely take a walk around the block on her own.

The Need: Memory Care

After this recent hospitalization, Joce was transferred to a memory care facility. Wow, memory care is expensive! Her daughter Emily is a social worker and worked the system as far as she could but the best we could find was a place that charged $250/day— a day!!!— to house and feed her. Subsidized memory care and assisted living for lower income folks has a waiting list that is at least 18 months long and we don't know when a spot will open up for her.

Because of the high cost of memory care and the family’s limited funds, we had to move Jocelyn out of the facility and into Emily’s home temporarily as she awaits a placement. Around-the-clock supervision is needed to keep Joce from inadvertently starting a fire in the kitchen, wandering and getting lost, or falling. But Emily has to work to support them and can't provide this level of oversight, so the current situation is really risky and unsustainable.

Her expenses are estimated to come to $77k a year, or about $6400/month, after what her social security can cover. Since the wait list for a Medicaid-funded bed is 18 months, we are hoping to raise $115k to cover the cost of care in assisted living for Jocelyn during the wait time.

Can you help? We would be grateful for even the smallest donation, or your willingness to share this story with your community via social media or email. Thank you!!!