Support Sarah Ray Swindall's Care Journey

My name is Lee England and I support and care for my 98-year-old mother, Sarah Ray Swindall. My mother is the most selfless person I have ever known - she has been known to literally "give the shirt off of her back" to hundreds of people throughout her lifetime. I have seen her trace people's feet to buy them shoes, help with college tuition payments, car payments, buy groceries for those less fortunate, mow lawns for those unable to - the list goes on and on.

Now it's her turn. My mother has lived with us since December of 2004 when we brought our then four-year-old little girl home from Kazakhstan after we adopted her. My mother sold her home and moved in with us to help my husband and me care for our child as we were both working parents. Over the past few years, her mental status has been in decline and now it is to the point that we need someone with her 24/7. I spend 24 to 30 hours a week in direct care for her and every other hour is filled with some of the most remarkable women I have ever known. God gives certain people the gift of compassion and love for the elderly with dementia that most of us will never receive.

My wonderful husband has tried to protect me and our family from the brutal truth - her care has put us in a financially precarious position. I am told with her progressive dementia, placing her in a facility at this point is a quick death sentence.

We spend approximately $18,000 a month on her care. We use private pay, not an agency, as it is less expensive (I have learned) than using an agency. We have exhausted all of our personal resources, which is why I am now reaching out and making this public.

If you can find room in your heart to help my mother, we would be most appreciative. She still gets up every morning, reads her devotional, and looks at the newspaper. Her appetite is good, her mobility is quite limited, but she loves to tell stories of her days as a teacher at Huntsville Middle School - her favorite memories were made in Huntsville.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your consideration. God bless you!