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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | December 28, 2009

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Awards Grants to Local Groups Nationwide

NEW YORK, NY – The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) recently awarded grants totaling $50,000 to ten grassroots organizations across the country to start or expand education programs, cognitive stimulation activities, professional training and other services for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

“This funding comes at a time when so many organizations— both large and small—face difficulty in allocating resources for crucial programming for people with dementia and their families, while the number of potential clients is soaring. We know how important it is to provide support services that can improve quality of life, and we’re happy to do our part to help local communities provide programs and services that address the specific needs of this population” said Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and chief executive officer.

AFA, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the care needs of those with dementia, awards these grants twice a year to its nonprofit member organizations based on a competitive application process. In this cycle, each organization will receive $5,000.

Among the latest grant recipients, the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation, Cape Girardeau, MO, will receive funds to support its Comfort Cart, a kit used at its hospital that includes aides, CD’s and other activities to help alleviate anxiety and confusion for individuals with dementia, and educational information for family members.

Donna McLain, a development specialist at the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation, said the funding will greatly assist its clients.

“We are excited about going into 2010 with not only a highly successful program with an overwhelming amount of requests and appreciation from recipients, but now more financial assistance to back the need,” she said..

Alzheimer’s Community Care, West Palm Beach, FL, will introduce a program to teach male caregivers the basic skills of food shopping, measurements, meal preparation, cooking methods and food safety, as well as provide social interaction with other caregivers and respite care for their loved ones, in collaboration with the Palm Healthcare Foundation Demonstration Kitchen.

Other awards focus on the performing arts. Both FiftyForward, Nashville, TN, and Inspirit, Inc., Lake Worth, FL will use the funds to support live performances at local facilities, including Alzheimer’s adult day centers.

The other recipients are:

  • Family Service of Morris County (FSMC), Morristown, NJ, for scholarships for low-income individuals to attend itsadult day centers
  • Friends Club, Bethesda, MD, for educational, artistic and physical exercise programming for men living with early to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
  • OPICA Adult Day Care, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, for The Brain Train, which offers group discussions, cognitive stimulation, physical exercises and social and educational support to individuals with early memory loss and their caregivers.
  • Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehabilitation, New Hyde Park, NY, for the development of a community-based volunteer network of paraprofessional caregivers to provide in-home respite services for family caregivers.
  • Sweetwater Home for Seniors, Sweetwater, TN, for day trips, outings, educational games and art supplies for programming provided to low-income individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
  • The ARK (Adult Respite Kare), Summerville, SC, for a series of educational seminars in strategic rural communities that will allow residents to learn about dementia care in their own neighborhoods.

Applications for AFA’s next round of bi-annual grants must be post-marked by February 1, 2010. In addition to these grants, AFA awards The Brodsky Grant, an annual grant given to one innovative program or service; family respite care grants and an annual AFA Teens college scholarship.

For more information about funding opportunities and membership, call 866-232-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York and made up of 1,200 member organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional, practical and social needs of families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses. AFA’s services include a toll-free hot line, counseling, educational materials, a free caregiver magazine and professional training. For information, call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.

Contact: Carol Steinberg
Phone: 866-AFA-8484

Alzheimer's Foundation of America  866.AFA.8484 www.alzfdn.org