Hey everyone,

I hate to do this, but I'm giving it a go.

Jamie here, Lee's daughter. As some of you know, my mom (Lee) has been suffering from cognitive decline for a while now. Officially, she is diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's, and cerebrovascular disease. Her brain health doctor believes she's reaching the later/end stages due to specific observed factors.

In April 2024, I moved my mom in with me because she was not able to properly feed herself (she was down to 100 lbs), function in normal society, and was no longer able to live alone (well, in a low-income shared senior housing she was in at the time). My mom hasn't worked for years, has no assets, and Medicare does not pay for memory care. My mom has not been able to contribute financially to any rent or utility expenses the entire time.

My mom is on 24/7 protective supervision, and she can never be left alone. I haven't been able to work outside of the home because of this (for quite a while), and the money coming in from the state for in-home support isn't enough to cover the monthly bills. It isn't nothing, thankfully, but it also isn't enough. I've gone back to school full-time online (to finally complete my degree) and have had to take out student loans. I'm stuck in this sandwich generation--trying to provide for my kids, my mom, and myself--alone.

The entirety of this situation has put a tremendous strain on me, and on my children, as they've also had to step up to help with their grandma's caretaking and all the stresses that come along with it. I've done the best I can with the available resources, but the system is broken and not designed to help low-income seniors with this type of needed care. I'm not getting sufficient support, and I cannot even put into words how difficult it is... and has been.

As much as my mom would like to go live with one of her friends to give her what she might think is 'musical freedom', that is simply unrealistic, and she is at the point where she needs expert care in a facility. We looked at one facility together, which would be ideal (The Stocksill House). It's small, tucked into nature, and has a great staff. I've also looked at Windchime of Marin. They are bigger, and allow a lot of freedom, so she would likely be able to play her music whenever she wanted to. Either place will run about $8,000/month, which is insane, I know. I've called on local non-profits for help, but I'm not getting responses. I'm simply out of options, and it's taking a serious toll on me. I've even asked for help with just a respite (temporary) stay for me to get a little break, but it's proving to be quite an uphill battle to find funding.

I'm hoping this fundraiser will provide some much-needed funds to cover a memory care facility for my mom on an ongoing basis. The burden on me has just been too great, and I am asking for help. I am suffering severe burnout, and it has become unmanageable. I recognize that I am a human too, with dreams and aspirations, and I simply cannot do this alone.

My mom has a wide net of friends, fellow musicians, church members, and maybe even strangers, that I'm hoping will help through this really difficult time. Sharing, donating, offering some caretaking time to give me some relief, taking her for a walk, are several ways of monetary and non-monetary help. I know times are tough, and it's the holidays, so if you can't contribute, I completely understand. Please do share... as this is going to take a whole village.

My mom has a lot of songs she's written, too, and has talked about selling them for quite some time. So, if you know someone who can help me through that process to raise funds for her memory care, I'd really appreciate that too.

Once enough funds are raised to pay for the monthly facility costs, and I get her in, she can have visitors, and I know she would love to see some of your familiar faces (while she can still recognize you!).

If you wanna chat about this some more, please contact me directly, and I'll be happy to discuss more info with you.

With love and gratitude,

Jamie