Helping Julia’s mother
Donation protected
Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease. Not only is it horrific to watch a loved one slowly slip away and become a shell of themself, but the care that is required to assist someone with this condition is unimaginably expensive. Our dear friend and her family have been doing everything they can to cover these expenses. At this point the amount required has become astronomical. Below are a few more details about their story:
Julia’s mother, Leonora Pekarsky, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2012. At the time she was young - in her mid 50’s. Julia’s father had to quit his job to be her full time care taker. Then her sister quit her job to also take care of her. Once her mom became too difficult to manage in a home setting, they moved her to assisted living, which has cost about $10,000/month for the last 3 years. They received Medicaid at the end of the August and moved her mom out of self pay to a nursing home with a Medicaid bed. The nursing home her mom is at is requiring us to provide 24/7 coverage for her right now as they feel she is unsafe without someone always being with her. For them to pay an aide for round the clock care would again be about $15,000/month. In addition to Alzheimer's, they said she was also diagnosed with Lewy Bodies, another debilitating form of dementia, which they did not know. They are working with a team of hospice doctors and nurses to adjust her medication and this may help with her constant restlessness and walking around, but may also lead to a loss of function. Regardless, she needs to have round the clock coverage right now or she will get discharged. They have called almost every nursing home in the state of VA and they either won't take her because she is fall risk or have a waiting list for a Medicaid bed, and probably wouldn't take her anyway.
As a family they are doing their best to provide the required 24 hour coverage. As you can imagine this is nearly impossible to be at a nursing home 24 hours a day 7 days a week when you have a young family and a full-time job.
It’s time our village comes together to help their family out. All donations will go towards paying an assistant to watch Julia’s mother. It costs $15/hour for an assistant to be with Julia’s mother.
If you don’t have the financial means, but would like to volunteer your time to cover a shift, please contact me and I will help coordinate.
We wholeheartedly thank you for your support!
Julia’s mother, Leonora Pekarsky, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2012. At the time she was young - in her mid 50’s. Julia’s father had to quit his job to be her full time care taker. Then her sister quit her job to also take care of her. Once her mom became too difficult to manage in a home setting, they moved her to assisted living, which has cost about $10,000/month for the last 3 years. They received Medicaid at the end of the August and moved her mom out of self pay to a nursing home with a Medicaid bed. The nursing home her mom is at is requiring us to provide 24/7 coverage for her right now as they feel she is unsafe without someone always being with her. For them to pay an aide for round the clock care would again be about $15,000/month. In addition to Alzheimer's, they said she was also diagnosed with Lewy Bodies, another debilitating form of dementia, which they did not know. They are working with a team of hospice doctors and nurses to adjust her medication and this may help with her constant restlessness and walking around, but may also lead to a loss of function. Regardless, she needs to have round the clock coverage right now or she will get discharged. They have called almost every nursing home in the state of VA and they either won't take her because she is fall risk or have a waiting list for a Medicaid bed, and probably wouldn't take her anyway.
As a family they are doing their best to provide the required 24 hour coverage. As you can imagine this is nearly impossible to be at a nursing home 24 hours a day 7 days a week when you have a young family and a full-time job.
It’s time our village comes together to help their family out. All donations will go towards paying an assistant to watch Julia’s mother. It costs $15/hour for an assistant to be with Julia’s mother.
If you don’t have the financial means, but would like to volunteer your time to cover a shift, please contact me and I will help coordinate.
We wholeheartedly thank you for your support!
Fundraising team (3)
Elizabeth Breslin
Organiser
Arlington, VA
Julia Schneider
Beneficiary
Terra Fuhr
Team member
Becca Goldsmith
Team member
