To all my dear friends and family,

My dearest mother, as some of you may know, has been falling into the wildly crippling, confusing despair of dementia. I have been working to get her long-term care for 6 months now through a government agency that moves at a snail's pace. This is an immediate problem, as she is almost out of money and her Social Security does not provide a lot. My ability to provide for her financially is stunted by my own reliance on my SS Disability necessitated by my almost amputated arm. This only amounts to just over a thousand dollars a month. Therefore, we find ourselves in a proverbial financial "pickle".

All of the financial paperwork was supposedly going to be done a month ago but, as of late, I can't even get a return email from her caseworker. My mother wanders as much as she can and rarely sits down. When outside, she gets so confused that she is often lost, and I hear from the police who return her home at least twice a week. She has been in the ER 6 times now, in 2 months, from falling when she has walked for too long.

My mama has recently been diagnosed with pitted edema, which will potentially result in the amputation of both of her legs. She needs constant supervision at this time to remind her not to keep walking endlessly. On top of that, she needs reminders for meds, eating, bathing, and sleeping.

I am to the point of living in constant fear of her wandering late at night and being taken advantage of because she is so little and frail. Bottom line is, I am scared for my mama and I think I have to admit that I need your help.

The financial program may take another month, hopefully not longer. I have researched care facilities in her area that seem to average out to be roughly $10,000/month for round-the-clock care. For any of you that know someone with dementia, you know that it is a terrifying, uncontrollable, often mystifying illness that is cruelly relentless. I am humble to need to ask for your help. At this point, I see no other possibility of getting this dealt with in the short time that it needs to be implemented. Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you with love and blessings to you all,

Naomi Sunrise Sherry