♥️Love for KK Hearts ♥️

Happy Holidays Everyone,

OK, let’s just start by saying I’m going to get in a lot of trouble for doing this without Keri‘s permission, but to me, it’s worth it. This lady is one of the most kind, honourable, loyal, and selfless individuals I’ve ever met in my life and I am grateful to call her my friend.

Keri’s loving father, Dave is suffering from stage 5 Dementia which is classified as moderately severe cognitive decline. (See below for description) Keri came home just the other day to find that her father had put away all of the Christmas ornaments because, as he stated, “Christmas has passed.” Bless him.

Keri and I chat just about every day to discuss the many projects we are working on together and there is not a single day that passes where she isn’t challenged by the trials and tribulations of being her father’s primary caregiver.

They are both struggling.

He with his declining health and Keri literally carrying all of the burden. She gave up her home to move in with him a couple of years ago and does all of the cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, medication administering etc. whilst also running her business(s) and working a side hustle as an Instacart driver so she can work in any city and take her father with her. She was just recently told by his team of doctors that he shouldn’t be left alone…at all. That’s a lot for anyone to take in.

I have researched numerous care facilities in the desert that specialize in dementia and would like to help her get her father situated in Palm Springs. The average cost for the level of care he requires is $6000 a month. The goal would be to see her not have to worry about his housing for a year so she may focus on continuing to do beautiful things with her philanthropic events and also enjoy the remainder of his life with him.

I know it’s a dream, but dreams do come true and Keri needs help. She would never admit it because she has the integrity of a saint, but I’m here to tell you she does.

This woman has raised nearly $300,000 for various charities (by herself and during a pandemic) over the past few years, is fighting a daily battle and yet she just keeps on giving and giving and giving. She doesn’t think she’s special or deserves any more than anyone else, but she is …and again… she does.

So here we are. Not giving her a choice and showing her how much she’s appreciated and supported by her friends and community that she does so very much for.

It’s the holidays. No donation is too small. Let’s work together to give Keri a beautiful Christmas boost to start her new year with a little extra love and light for the future.

✨♥️

With Love & Gratitude,

Cherish

STAGE 5: MODERATELY SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE
MODERATE DEMENTIA

“In this stage, deficits are of sufficient magnitude as to prevent catastrophe-free, independent community survival. The characteristic functional change in this stage is early deficits in basic activities of daily life. This is manifest in a decrement in the ability to choose the proper clothing to wear for the weather conditions or for everyday circumstances. Some persons with Alzheimer’s disease begin to wear the same clothing day after day unless reminded to change. The mean duration of this stage is 1.5 years.

The person with Alzheimer’s disease can no longer manage on their own. There is generally someone who is assisting in providing adequate and proper food, as well as assuring that the rent and utilities are paid and the finances are taken care of. For those who are not properly supervised, predatory strangers may become a problem. Very common reactions for persons at this stage who are not given adequate support are behavioral problems such as anger and suspiciousness.

Cognitively, persons at this stage frequently cannot recall major events and aspects of their current life such as the name of the current head of state, the weather conditions of the day, or their correct current address. Characteristically, some of these important aspects of current life are recalled, but not others. Also, the information is loosely held, so, for example, the person with moderate Alzheimer’s disease may recall their correct address on certain occasions, but not others.

Remote memory also suffers to the extent that persons may not recall the names of some of the schools which they attended for many years, and from which they graduated. Orientation may be compromised to the extent that the correct year may not be recalled. Calculation deficits may be of such magnitude that an educated person has difficulty correctly counting backward from 20 by 2s.

Functionally, persons at this stage commonly have incipient difficulties with basic activities of daily life. The characteristic deficit of this type is decreased ability to independently choose proper clothing to wear, in accordance with the weather conditions and the events of the day. In otherwise healthy persons this stage lasts an average of approximately 1.5 years.”

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The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation