Hospice of the Valley has been awarded a federal grant from the Administration for Community Living to serve more families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
The three-year grant will allow Hospice of the Valley to significantly expand its Palliative Care for Dementia program, which provides in-home support to those at any stage of dementia and their family caregivers. The not-for-profit agency will collaborate with a number of local organizations to create programs with a special focus on people with dementia living alone; those with distressed behaviors; and those with developmental disabilities like Down syndrome, who may develop Alzheimer’s disease at an early age.
Executive Director Debbie Shumway expressed gratitude and excitement. “Our goal is to help those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers live at home with high quality of life. We are extremely grateful for this grant and for the collaboration of so many local partners who share this same vision.”
Those partners include: The Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia Caregiver Alliance, Duet Partners in Health and Aging, Senior Adult Independent Living Program, Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities and VALLEYLIFE.
This grant also provides funding to train a dementia-capable workforce to better serve the rapidly rising number of people who will be diagnosed — a 43% increase in Arizona by 2025.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with our community partners to provide comprehensive care and education to families who so desperately need support,” echoed Hospice of the Valley Medical Director Dr. Gillian Hamilton. “Dementia is a vulnerable and challenging journey and no one should travel it alone.”
For more information on Hospice of the Valley’s Palliative Care for Dementia program, visit hov.org/dementia/palliative-care-for-dementia or call 602-636-6363.
