Yenis’ Alzheimer’s Care Fund

In 2018, Yenis was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s after experiencing a stroke. In 2022, Yenis started entering the middle stage of the disease. The middle stage of Alzheimer’s suggests an increasing reliance on others in order to experience day-to-day activities. Damage to nerve cells in the brain can also make it difficult for the person to express thoughts and perform routine tasks without 24/7 assistance.

In Yenis’ particular situation, she is on the younger side of folks that experience this disease, therefore, she is not eligible for the same amount of care benefits that elderly people receive living with Alzheimer’s. For instance, she does not qualify for Medicaid and while she is receiving Medicare and disability benefits currently, these benefits do not cover the cost of long-term care. It is an ongoing issue that the early-onset community experiences a gap in services due to bureaucratic restrictions. While there is a policy such as the Compassionate Allowance Initiative , that she is benefitting from, this does not cover the breadth of services that she needs.

Using guidance from the Alzheimer’s Association, the Mijares family is currently raising funds to support the budgeting of long-term care. Currently, we are engaging in at-home caregiving, in which we only receive 8 hours a day of free services granted by the Department of Children and Families. Therefore, the family pays out of pocket to cover the rest of the time to total 24/7 care. Our intention is to gather funds to offset these out-of-pocket expenses and to support the transition to assisted living when that time comes.

Many of us have experienced the joy of being connected to Yenis. To be her friend is to be her family and we welcome any amount of support in this coming period of difficulty. Yenis is a sister, daughter, mother and friend. She has built a beautiful community and has cared for others her entire life so it is a testament to her legacy that we invest in quality care for her.

This fundraising initiative is designed for community members to learn about Yenis’ journey, and advocate for and support her family as they manage medical expenses, financial planning, care options, legal planning etc.

We will continue to keep this space updated with Yenis’ progress.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Nicole, Natasha, and Leo Mijares.