CFTC Recipient

Family is everything

Irene’s story highlights the challenge of balancing caregiving, motherhood, and work as she supports her husband with PCA, while FTTF helps her create meaningful moments and access vital resources along the way.

You never plan to care for your husband while also caring for a teenage daughter. But when family is everything, you just do. Andrew was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Posterior Cortical Atrophy in his 50s. Posterior Cortical Atrophy, often referred to as PCA, is a progressive degeneration of the outer layer of the brain. About 80% of the time, it is caused by Alzheimer’s. It causes visual and spatial problems including eyesight and visual procession. Andrew’s vision has already begun to deteriorate.

For now, Andrew can walk his daughter to school. Irene is not sure how much longer he will be able to do this, but it is something that brings him purpose for now and is a special time he and his daughter can still share. His memory and activities are limited but with adaptive, large print, still reads and enjoys reading. Irene’s ultimate goal is to keep Andrew in the home and care for him herself.

Irene is overwhelmed between working full time and taking care of her daughter and husband. Even support groups are impossible to join in person. The Care for the Caregivers Relief Grant includes both financial relief and a customized resource packet. It was important for Irene’s packet to include additional financial support, respite options as the disease progresses and remote support both for her and for her daughter.

Andrew and Irene are both from Greece. Andrew is very connected with his family, who all still live there. She wants him to give her husband the opportunity to see his sisters and family while he is still able to travel and remember. He can’t travel alone and so she is saving up so she and her daughter can accompany him. Irene has chosen to use the financial portion of the CFTC Relief Grant to help with travel costs and provide this incredible memory for Andrew, their daughter and herself.

Thank you Irene for your dedication to your husband and your daughter. Everyone here at For Their Thoughts is humbled by your dedication and appreciate you sharing your story with us.

‍

Dementia impacts the entire family. Often it is the family who take on the caregiving responsibilities. They do it without hesitation or second thoughts.
"It's just what you do" is so often said by care partners and families. But to care for your other half or parent as he or she declines also brings emotional, physical and financial stress. It is 24/7 and can be lonely.

‍FTTF exists to help these families. We piloted our "Care For the Caregiver's Relief Program" in 2021. The program provides financial relief for the "now" and a customized resource package for continued care. Resources are out there, but the caregiver often is left to figure it out on their own. FTTF aims to point the way and offer a helping hand.

Melissa was the first grant recipient of CFTC Relief Program thanks to proceeds from our Move For Their Thoughts (MoveFTT) challenge to walk a mile a day for 35 days.

Here is Melissa's story.
‍Melissa and her family live in a small town in the heart of Kentucky. Several years ago her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. In 2020, Melissa moved in with her full-time and is now her primary caregiver.

The roles have reversed and it is time for the daughter to care for the mother. It's the only way to provide her mother with the care she needs as the disease progressively worsens.

Because of the time and effort involved in caring for her mother, Melissa only leaves the house once every other week to run errands and grocery shop.

The love and commitment Melissa has for family has been exemplified in every conversation with her. In her own words, "Family is everything. I wouldn't have it any other way." 💙