Support Michael Castleman's Alzheimer’s Care

Help a Marine Veteran with Alzheimer’s fund his nursing home stay.

My name is Wendy Castleman, wife of Michael Castleman. We are both disabled Marines and we need your help. Michael spent 25 years in the Marine Corps, from 1969 to 1994, and retired after 25 years of honorable service. For the past 15 years, he has been fighting dementia and Alzheimer’s. I cared for him at home until I physically couldn’t anymore — putting off my own hip replacement for years because he needed me. I still need my carpal tunnel fixed and a shoulder replaced.

On June 27, 2024, Michael entered a dementia center through a VA contract. After almost 3 months, he was transferred to a local hospital for aggressive behaviors. He has now been there for 1 year because there is no facility that will accept him. I have spent almost every day of that time searching and calling places, advocating for him.

The hospital has made it clear that they want him gone, but I cannot physically take care of him anymore. No one would come help me with him at home because he can get aggressive. I help the nurses and sitters when I can, keeping him calmer when they need to do labs or ultrasounds, etc. But until a VA-contracted nursing home agrees to take him, my hands are tied. I cannot afford to pay for a self-pay nursing home or assisted living memory care. We don't qualify for Medicaid. We have his disability and aid & attendance but it is not enough.

If I can get Michael placed in a self-pay facility, I will need help with:

A $2,000 - $3,500 community fee (non-refundable), and between $6,000 - $8,000 per month when the cost of the ADL help is added in. I can afford about $3,000 a month if nothing happens to my truck.

I will have to furnish the room, so a hospital bed will need to be bought (those run $700 plus for used ones on FB marketplace). I can take other furniture from home for him. I will have to buy adaptive clothing for him.

One facility also told me that I would likely have to pay for a sitter at least the first week to acclimate him. Those run about $20 an hour at the hospital. This is why I am asking for help.

Any funds raised will go into savings for Michael’s care costs. I told him I would never leave him or put him in a home. It hurts my soul that I could not keep him home with me.

I’m asking for help to make sure Michael is protected, placed somewhere safe, and that I can stand beside him as his wife and advocate. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this page or sending up prayers — we need every bit of help we can get.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

— Wendy Castleman