WEBVTT
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Greetings, listeners, and welcome to the Caretable Podcast, dedicated to educating and supporting family caregivers of aging loved ones.
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I'm your host, Amy Hoddleston.
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Through insightful interviews from both industry experts and family caregivers, we aim to provide valuable perspectives and resources.
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Let's see who we're learning from today.
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Hello, thanks for joining us at the care table.
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Before we get started today, would you please like, subscribe, share this episode with anybody that you think would learn from this and that it would be helpful?
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We really appreciate it.
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Today we're going to talk about a grant that's available for families.
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It's called Hilarity for Charity.
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I'm guessing a lot of people haven't heard about it.
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So I'm very excited to educate listeners on what that is.
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And today we have someone from Hilarity for Charity that's here to join us, Alison Demon.
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She's the senior manager of respite care from Hilarity for Charity.
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And she's here to tell us today just about what this is, how families can access it, and why it got started.
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So Alison, grill really good to have you here.
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Thanks for joining.
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Thanks for having me.
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So let's start first with just telling us, you know, Hilarity for Charity, if you've never heard of it before.
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Basically, the founders are Seth Rogan, the actor, his wife Lauren Miller-Rogan.
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And tell us what the history is of how this got started by them.
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Got it.
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So Hilarity for Charity, or I'll probably call it HFC, just to shorten it up for these purposes, is a national nonprofit that was founded back in 2012 by Seth and Lauren.
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Lauren's mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's at just 55 years old.
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It was newer in the relationship with her and Seth.
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So Seth really walked the journey alongside Lauren.
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And together they were able to really see the impact that this disease has on a family, what it means to be a caregiver, and really how fortunate they were that they had the finances to be able to hire care and have help for her mom.
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And they really wanted to make it their mission that other people would have that same advantage as well.
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So it started with just a comedy and kind of a fundraising event, grew into kind of an organization that we are today.
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We're a small but mighty team.
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There's only 12 of us.
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But it's really our mission to live out their mission of helping others who need who need care.
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So now we kind of focus on three things.
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We want to support families impacted by Alzheimer's.
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We want to inspire the next generation of advocates and caregivers.
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And we work on advancing uh brain health education and research.
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But I would say at the heart of it and where it originally started was through the Caregiver Respite Grant program, which we'll get a little more into it, but it's how to turn something that's a deeply like positive or a deeply personal experience into something that's positive, making sure they're not alone and adding a little bit of levity to a very heavy conversation.
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I think, you know, obviously when someone first gets that diagnosis and at 55, oh my goodness, it does, it's obviously devastating to the person who receives the diagnosis.
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But as the disease progresses, my experience is it gets so hard on the family because you're you're grieving the loss of that person.
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So I like to hear that this organization is supporting the families.
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You're also talking about how can we advance brain health so we can try to avoid this and then make sure we've got advocates, people that understand the impact this has on families and the expense, like you're saying.
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You know, if you're fortunate, if you have the funds, but if you don't, uh, it can be uh incredibly difficult.
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So I admire that they started this.
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I think it's so great.
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Um, I read that HFC's mission is bringing light to Alzheimer's.
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So, how does that show up in the everyday support that you're providing to families?
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I think it goes back to what I previously mentioned that there is still light and laughter in life.
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Um, and I think we want to be reminders that um not everything has to be super heavy.
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We're here to make sure that you're heard, um, seen, felt, understood by someone else.
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And we do it, I guess, maybe in a little bit lighter way.
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The tone of everything we do, our website, everything adds a little um more lightness to the topic.
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So you mentioned he's a comedian, too.
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He's a comedian.
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So yeah, let's, you know, I I mean, that wasn't even my next question, but I know that it started.
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He did do like a comedy show that was a fundraiser for HFC.
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Yeah.
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Does that continue?
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Like, is that still happening?
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It does continue.
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It's kind of evolved, and we do lots of little, littler things.
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Um, but he also just did um, he collaborated with Netflix, and the benefits from that collaboration came back to us.
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So instead of it being just one big show, we do still have, you know, our signature event.
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It's, you know, evolved into all different things, friends giving, um, other things, but it's also all these other little, littler items that are happening, you know, in New York, in LA, or kind of now all over the United States.
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Wow.
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Okay.
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So what makes HFC different than, for instance, like the Alzheimer's Association?
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I think while we're all, you know, fighting the same fight.
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I think, like we said, ours is maybe a little more on a personal level.
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So we focus a lot, not only we're we're more caring for the caregiver, is, you know, a lot of how important we feel it is if the caregiver isn't well taken care of, they can't provide good care for their loved ones, um, or just the toll that that takes on a family.
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So we really spend a lot of time focusing on the caregiver as well as the person with Alzheimer's or dementia.
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Um, we also really love to talk about our support groups, how there is something out there for everyone, thanks to the virtual world.
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Um, and again, we just make sure that every person that comes to us, we have something to offer them.
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Whether they don't qualify for respite grants, they can leave us with some sort of resources to help out on their caregiving journey.
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So you mentioned these support groups.
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So, and you said virtual.
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So they're online support groups that you're offering.
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Is that what you're saying?
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Exactly.
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So, as we all know, we there's plenty of rural areas throughout the United States where I mean, we had someone, if if I'm a 65-year-old male living in rural Montana and I'm caring for my wife, I maybe don't have the outlet to go out and find a caregiving or I mean a support group in my community.
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We will help you do that.
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We'll help you connect with someone else who's maybe in the same stage of life.
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We can even get to the point maybe where we find somebody who has similar interests in you.
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Um, and all of our groups are led by credentialed facilitators.
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So everyone, I mean, we spend a lot of time and care and matching you with a group of people who are the right fit for you.
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And that I assume can be, you can review that on your website.
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All of that, yep, that's available on the website.
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So I will definitely link to that in the show notes.
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So you offer online support groups, which is something that's available to caregivers.
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Um, what other, you know, we'll we'll talk about the respite grants in a moment, but other than the respite grants and the support groups, what other things are offered from Hilarity for Charity?
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Got it.
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So we have something that I personally think is really fun that's available on our website.
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It's called the Caregiver Road Trip.
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It's a free interactive digital guide created specifically for dementia caregivers.
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And it really focuses on those under 50, which seems to be kind of where most of our population comes from.
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But it has resources and tools to help families navigate everything.
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I mean, care planning, relationships, finances, meal planning.
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Um, it kind of walks through all the different things that you go on with your journey, but it's super fun and interactive.
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Like you're packing up to go on a road trip and you know, kind of uh again, a lighter way to look at the journey that we're going on in the process.
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So I think it's just a fun, less heavy take on what we're going through.
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And you said it's free.
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It's free.
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Everything is free.
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So we have music wellness, we have mental health support through better help.
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Um, we have caregiver wellness and community lounges.
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So, for instance, if you are not maybe necessarily wanting to join a support group, but you still just want to connect with other people in the Alzheimer's community, uh, we or caregiver community, we have these community lounges where you can sign up.
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Um, you it's for specific topics, you can learn about, talk to others who are in the same situation.
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And it's just again another way to connect with other people.
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I had no idea that you offered all this.
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And I love it's all virtual because so many of these caregivers, it's very difficult for them to find someone to stay with their person and you know, try to get out.
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And so to have all of this on your website, I had no idea all that existed.
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So we'll definitely link to these in the show notes.
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So great, I mean, you got your wellness programs, your community lounge, your caregiver road trip guide, um, and the online support groups.
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Like I definitely have a plethora of resources I can access, but I want to dig a little deeper into your respite grants, which I feel like is kind of your it's your bread and butter, I would guess, and like the way you're really supporting these caregivers.
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So let's dig a little bit into the respite grants and what what does that mean exactly to a family?
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Not everybody even understands the word respite.
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So let's talk about what a respite grant is.
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Sure.
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A respite grant is a chance for a caregiver to use their time as their own.
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So being able to go out and do the things that they need to do.
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Sometimes that can be as simple as wanting to run an errand, go to the grocery store by yourself.
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All things that I think a lot of us start to take for granted.
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But when you're caring for someone 24-7, especially if they end up being bedbound or are just not able, you know, to leave and go run those errands with you, you become a prisoner of your own home.
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And that can become very isolating.
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Uh, and so we really are trying to find ways for them to have that respite or break from caregiving where they can go out and do those things, or even better, go have lunch with a friend.
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Um, we have, you know, people who are are able to do all sorts of things that without having licensed good in-home care, they never would.
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So giving them that um freedom to go do the things they need to do or would like to do, meaning a caregiver would stay with their loved one.
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Correct.
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So we actually offer two different types of respite care.
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So um, if awarded, you either are given 100 hours of in-home care to be used over a three-month time frame, or 24 days of attendance at an adult day program.
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So we um maybe two years ago kind of realized that the applications that were coming in and those that we were awarding grants to were much further along in their diagnosis.
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So they were the ones who were doing 24-hour care.
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And um we felt like we were missing the pool of caregivers who were pre-burnout.
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Um, and we were trying to find ways to maybe get a little more ahead of the game.
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So that's when we introduced our adult day program.
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Um, also, it's so good.
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I mean, sometimes respite might mean I want to sit on my couch by myself.
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I want to take a nap, um, or I want to have people over, whatever that might mean.
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And it might be great for their loved one.
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They might be in a place where they still want to get out and have socialization.
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Um so that's when we decided we were missing that side and we added our adult day grants.
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So one application puts you in for either one.
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And how we distinguish which one you get would be how you answer some of the questions in the application.
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We ask, do you currently attend adult day program?
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Would you be interested in attending?
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So and some might say no, or you may not have an adult day program near you.
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Exactly.
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And let's say someone is awarded an adult day grant and they um are not able to find a program in their area, they we don't force them to stay in that.
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We we still want them to have the respite so they're able to switch it over to an in-home care grant.
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We we will help you find a resource for you to get hours.
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So I apply, I'm gonna just say I'm okay, I'm I'm a caregiver and I'm gonna go to Hilarity for Charities website.
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I'm going to apply for a respite grant so that I can get some help in my home or an adult day program, for instance, where I would take my person.
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Um so I apply for this.
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And what is it that I need to share to apply?
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How, like, how how hard is this application?
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Got it.
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So the first thing you'll have to do is to be eligible, you'll have to answer yes to the following four questions.
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Um, and those are you will need to live in the United States or Canada.
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You, as the caregiver, will need to live in the same home as the person you are caring for.
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Um, the person you're caring for will have to have an official diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a dementia related.
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Um, and then the fourth one would be, and people sometimes get caught up on this when it says, Do you have financial or emotional hardships with caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia?
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I can't imagine anyone really being able to say no.
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Um, so we we do not ask for any financial proof.
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Um, we don't feel like we're the ones to judge, you know, what someone's financial situation is.
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So if you are having financial or emotional hardships and can say yes, along with those other three, then you're eligible to apply.
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Um, the next step, the application, we redid it for if anyone has done it in the past.
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Uh, it used to be really heavy in storytelling, um, a lot of open-ended questions.
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But again, we found that the grants were going to people who were just really amazing storytellers.
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And a lot of caregivers who are filling this out don't have hours to complete it.
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Sometimes they aren't even super familiar with a computer, much less being able to tell, you know, their their stories.
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So we really changed it to have more questions just geared to telling us about their loved one and what level of care they're needing and what level of care they're needing for themselves.
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So it takes about 10 minutes now.
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There's only two open-ended questions because no one can explain their entire situation just in yes, no questions.
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So there is a chance for um you to share a little bit about your story or what's happening in your life at the end that our review committee will listen to or will read as well.
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So that 10 minutes is not long.
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That seems reasonable for someone to be able to complete that.
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And that's really great.
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I love that it's short and um simple questions.
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So you then mentioned you have a review committee.
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So how does that work?
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Once you submit the application, what happens?
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And then roughly how long do you think it takes to hear from you?
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So there's um kind of two stages to how we I hate using the word score.
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I mean, we're talking about people, and it I don't want it to sound like you know, you're taking a test, but it goes through the the first round, and based on the way that you answer your questions, you're kind of given a score.
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And then the next part is we go in and the review, whoever's reviewing your application reads that other part.
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And that's kind of the secondary, you know, end of it.
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And so after those are kind of calculated and then we send those out, it takes the entire process takes 60 to 65 days.
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Which might it is longer than we would like it to be.
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But uh how it works for us is if you apply anytime in the month of September, whether the first day or the last day, that entire pool of applicants gets reviewed in the month of October, and then you find out the first of November.
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So it could be as short as 30 days, as long as 65 days.
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What happens if you tell me no?
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If I tell you no, um you should reapply.
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You should reapply the next month because every month is a different set of applicants.
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The applicant pool is different.
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There are also times where our funding is different, and some months we're able to give out more grants.
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So as much money as we have to give, we give.
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So that sometimes changes.
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We sometimes have franchise, we have offices who donate ours.
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So that might mean more grants will go out in a month.
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So it all depends kind of on how our funding, how our funding goes.
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Okay.
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So then let's say you said yes to me.
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What happens next?
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So what happens if I say yes to you is I will match you with an in-home care company.
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We currently partner with Home Instead, but you are not required to use Home Instead.
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So if you've already been using a care company, we're not going to ask you to switch to someone else, especially once you feel comfortable with them.
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Or if there's just someone else in your community that you feel strongly about wanting to have your care with, we are completely open to you, to you using them as well.
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Um, so they will, if if you do use home instead, they will contact you and they will set up a care consultation and you'll work with them to figure out what your care needs are, what the schedule is that you're wanting to set up.
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And then it's it really is as easy as that.
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All of the invoicing will come directly to us and you will receive the hundred hours of care.
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That's phenomenal.
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Yes.
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If it's adult day, it's a little trickier.
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Um, there are fewer adult days, and there isn't kind of a big franchise system.
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So you do when it comes to adult day, especially because you're taking your loved one out of your home somewhere.
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We really are having you vet those companies and you figure out what's the best fit for your loved one.
00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.319
Um, and then after that, it goes the same way.
00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:12.720
The invoices come to us and and you can complete your 24 days of care.
00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:16.160
So you already have the relationship with home instead.
00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:20.079
If I'm using an existing company, I can continue to use them.
00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:24.400
What about if I have a private caregiver that I use?
00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.319
Am I able to use the grant?
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:26.799
Okay.
00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.759
Yes, that's okay.
00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:28.079
Okay.
00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:29.119
Same thing.
00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:33.119
Again, we we are here to make your, you know, their life easier.
00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.240
We are wanting them to have a caregiver they feel comfortable with.
00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:44.319
Um, I mean, it it literally takes one extra piece of paperwork, but yes, you can also use your own private caregiver that you've been using.
00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:46.559
Okay, that's amazing.
00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:50.640
Um, and I like that I can reapply if I get if I get a no.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:53.519
Um even if you get a yes, you can reapply.
00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:58.880
Um, every three months, you can reapply and you can get up to three grants in an 18-month time frame.
00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:00.640
Oh my goodness.
00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:01.119
Okay.
00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:01.680
Yes.
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:08.480
Okay, so every three months, and you said I can get three grants in an 18-month period.
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:09.440
Correct.
00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.400
Wow.
00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:12.240
Okay, that's amazing.
00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:16.640
Uh, and a hundred hours you said, I do need to use that in a three-month period.
00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.279
Is that correct?
00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.039
Same with the adult day.
00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:19.680
Yeah.
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:20.319
Okay.
00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:40.240
Uh, can you, without obviously sharing private details of a family or anything like that, but can you share any kind of specific examples of, you know, a somebody who applied, you heard their story, what it meant for them, what it did, just to kind of give us a picture of what HFC is doing for families.
00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.960
Though these are the best parts of my job.
00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:48.799
So we we kind of have like a community or like a board that we share amongst each other in the office.
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.319
We call mission moments.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:55.039
And they're it's really hard to say no to people.
00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:57.039
And those are really sad days.
00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.759
Um, I hate the first week of the month saying no.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:07.039
But um I hold pretty tightly to the mission moments that come in that tell us the things where we're making a difference.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:13.279
Um, two weeks ago, we had someone who was caring for her her husband.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:17.839
Um, so she had the grant for that, and she's like, it's great, it's going well.
00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:27.039
Um and then she was at the end, needed to apply for another one, and her mom got sick and was in hospice.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:40.559
And she's like, I literally would not have been able to go fly to be with my mom while she was in hospice and then end up being with her when she passed and going to her funeral if I hadn't had this.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.559
And thank God I had this grant for somebody to take care of my husband.
00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:52.240
Um, again, we're forgetting about like people have, you know, lives outside of their four doors and other people they love and care for.
00:22:52.799 --> 00:23:00.160
But it's it's families who are taking care of their moms and dads, but they have little kids at home still.
00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:04.000
Little kids who are in school plays and sporting events.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:14.079
And, you know, they have given up a lot of that to care for their loved one, but they get a grant and they get to be a part of the rest of their life too.
00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.640
So it's such a gift.
00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:21.039
I mean, it's really such a great, it's just a great concept.
00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:29.279
And I liked what you explained, how you're a little different than somebody like the Alzheimer's Association because of how personal you're making this.
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:51.200
And you're giving this entire toolbox of things to families that they can use, that they can take advantage of, whether it's an online support group, whether it's the road trip, whether it's I'm gonna apply for the grant, or I like that I can be in a community where I can just go to my computer and talk to someone that understands what I'm going through, where I don't have to get in the car and drive someplace.
00:23:51.359 --> 00:24:02.559
And I think that's really intimidating for people a lot of times when they they hear about a support group, you know, that's they've got to get to and it's like six o'clock at night, and they have to get, you know, drive there.
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.160
And it's a lot.
00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:10.240
It sounds, you know, it's it's a great resource, and I'm glad they're available, but it's challenging for a caregiver to do sure.
00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:21.200
And how nice, I mean, I know the person who's in in charge of our support groups has talked about you can show up the first time, not even have your camera or your, you know, audio on.
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:27.200
So you you get to show up and kind of check it out and decide like when you're ready to be involved.
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.480
I think that's just a nice option too.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:42.079
It's an amazing option because if you easily had to hop off or, you know, go help your husband or wife, like you could do that and not feel like I have the pressure of having to have somebody stay, stay with them.
00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:44.559
So I mean, this is this is great.
00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:55.440
Um, so how do you, you know, by listening to all this feedback that you're getting from these families and the caregivers that you are reading these grant applications, you're talking to them in the support groups.
00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:00.960
Are you in any way adapting your programs based on what you hear families need?
00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:04.400
I think we're trying to adapt all the time.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:10.799
Um, sometimes I even have to rein myself in because it it just kills me to say no to people.
00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:15.680
Um, but there are there are also, I mean, there's just so many things that are happening.
00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:22.319
A great example of how we had to pivot a little bit was last year when there were the wildfires in California.
00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:27.039
So we had people whose caregivers could no longer come help their loved ones.
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:32.160
We had adult day facilities that burnt down, um, all sorts of things.
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.440
So we started another grant that you can apply for, our emergency grants.
00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:42.000
So they're for people who are in like a FEMA-designated disaster area.
00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.960
So those are the only cash grants we give.
00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:57.440
So it would be somebody who is displaced or their caregiver is displaced, or all the things that happen when suddenly you're caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia, and now you have a natural disaster on top of it.
00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:03.680
So we give out those$1,500 um cash grants um at all times.
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:08.160
They're as soon as you um apply, you're answered within a day or two.
00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:19.359
So as long as you meet those eligibility requirements, which are the same as before, plus just are you in a FEMA designated area, then you would qualify to get those cash grants as well.
00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:22.160
That's definitely adapting to a need.
00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:25.680
We always are, and just the the world we live in is changing.
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:35.599
And so we're just trying to always find the way to help the most people in the best way possible with the funding that we that we have.
00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:47.839
I think about the future in 10 years or so and I think about you know how many baby boomers there are going to be that are aging.
00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:55.200
I think about how many facilities that exist right now and how many caregivers work for agencies.
00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:01.599
My feeling is we are not going to have enough of facilities, we're not going to have enough caregivers.
00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:04.960
And I have a feeling more people are going to need to stay home.
00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:08.240
Where a lot of people want to stay home anyway.
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:08.559
Yeah.
00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:10.880
But I have a feeling that's going to be needed.
00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:25.119
So this resource is so critical to giving these caregivers some oxygen, support, ongoing support, where I feel like it never, it's not this temporary thing where you got your grant and you're done.
00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:28.400
You've got a lot of things available to you that can be.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:38.160
Yeah, we work a lot on how we can, as they're going through different phases, how can we continue to adjust so that they continue to have a spot?
00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:43.759
I mean, if you're in a care group, uh now we have a bereavement support group.
00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:50.079
So you might move from one support group to the next, um, but we still want to be here.
00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:52.960
Also, you know, people are concerned about their own health.
00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:56.640
You know, when you're caring for someone, it makes you question your own health.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:03.839
So that's why we want to do a lot of education about, you know, early prevention or just educating our youth.
00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:10.960
Um, and for them to just, you know, understand like what might be coming in their own life, in their own families.
00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:13.039
Maybe they're called to be a caregiver.
00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:16.240
Uh, so we have youth groups all over the United States.
00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:32.319
It's called WIMA, youth movement against Alzheimer's, who we have chapters in almost every state in the United States, or a good majority of them, where it's literally high schoolers who are learning about early prevention, diagnosis, brain health.
00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:35.279
Um, so they're hopefully going to be our future.
00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:37.359
Is that also on your website?
00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:37.920
It is.
00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:38.240
Yeah.
00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:38.880
Okay.
00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:39.519
Yeah.
00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:43.359
Like, wow, that's that's we have a lot on there.
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:55.519
That's so good, though, to hear this because I think we have to educate the youth on I also just think how to communicate with people with dementia, right?
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:07.119
Just helping them understand, like, let's just stay in the moment, you know, don't correct them, like just kind of helping them also with just because that that's challenging in itself of just not understanding the disease.
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.240
So I agree.
00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:08.559
Yeah.
00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:22.079
And that's why our community lounges that we have, because there is, there's we have other um HFC universe, places where caregivers can learn um a lot of those sorts of topics, how to care for your loved one.
00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:28.960
I mean, just because you have someone that you love with Alzheimer's or dementia doesn't mean you know exactly how to care for them.
00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:32.720
So there's just tons of fun, light.
00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:41.279
Seth teaches some classes, um, ways to constantly how to deal with that and how to learn and be better caregivers.
00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:42.799
That's phenomenal.
00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:45.599
I'm definitely gonna dig deeper into the site.
00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:54.079
So let's say, just for anybody listening that says, oh my gosh, I love this cause and what you're doing, and it is a nonprofit.
00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:54.480
Yes.
00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:59.440
Are there ways that people can donate or you know, how do they support HFC?
00:29:59.599 --> 00:29:59.920
Yeah.
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:21.279
Again, it's on it's on our website, which our website is wearehfc.org, W-E-A-R-E-H-F-C.org, or you can just Google Hilarity for Charity, um, and you're able to make a one-time or monthly gift to help fund our respite program, support groups, brain health.
00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:26.480
Um, there's a spot where you can set up to organize a fundraiser of your own.
00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:30.319
Um, you can request an employer matching gift.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:36.559
I know a lot of companies offer that and list us as who you want the matching program to be.
00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:39.279
Um, leave a lasting legacy.
00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:47.440
So when your loved ones pass away or you're making planning for those things, um, eligible stock donations, those things.
00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:50.319
I think it's just keeping us in mind.
00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:59.519
Um, and then the last and best one is just spread the word about us and spread the word about how we can help and care for others.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:01.039
So good.
00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:04.319
I will make a donation just to thank you for doing this today.
00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:05.680
Oh, you're awesome.
00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:12.960
I really appreciate it because I just I had no idea that there were this many resources available from HFC.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:14.559
So I'm very excited about that.
00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.559
And any way that we can help families going through this, I'm all for.
00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:20.799
Um, and is there any way?
00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:24.000
So you talked about like you you can host a fundraiser.
00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:25.359
I have to ask about that.
00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.599
Do I have to be like a comedian?
00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:32.240
Like when you say host a fundraiser, I was gonna say, what kind of option is that is a fundraiser.
00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.640
We literally had a group of Waima kids.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:42.400
I mean, they organize bake sales and and I mean, literally anything where the profits go to HFC.
00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:44.640
So it can be any sort of fundraiser, anything.
00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:51.119
We have people who do galas of their own um offices who do that and they donate, they donate back to us.
00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.799
So that makes me feel better.
00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:54.960
Yeah, I am not doing stand-up.
00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:57.680
I would love to see you do a stand-up act.
00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:59.119
I would pass out.
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.240
So that's why I was like, wait a minute, do you have to be a comedian?
00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:04.480
Okay, I can do the bake sale.
00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:06.319
I can do that, but I love that.
00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:09.119
So yeah, um no, I will definitely be sharing this.
00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:14.240
Yeah, not really, but I I will share this too on our social media.
00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:24.559
You had said, so listeners should go to wearehfc.org to explore your resources, to apply for a grant, to join the support group.
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:30.480
They can make a gift, they could organize their own fundraiser, um, all of it.
00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:32.319
It sounds so it's so great.
00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:37.039
And is there anything else we miss that you would want to share about HFC?
00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:47.200
Um God, I almost feel teary saying it, but I guess I'd want every caregiver listening to hear like you matter too.
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.000
Like when you're caring for someone you love, it's easy to put your own needs last.
00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:58.559
You feel guilty taking a break, asking for help, admitting it's hard, but you can't pour into an empty cup.
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.759
And taking a break for yourself isn't selfish.
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:05.359
It's um part of caring for your loved one and loving yourself.
00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:07.839
So no, you don't have to do this alone.
00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:14.559
There are people, there are resources, communities ready to support you, um, even if you haven't found them yet.
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:22.960
Hilarity for charity, we want you to know that you're seeing, your work matters, and the love you give makes a difference.
00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.559
That's beautiful.
00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:32.480
I would also add, too, I think sometimes caregivers would say, My person's gonna be resistant to someone helping.
00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:39.359
I don't think that's the reason for you to not apply for this grant and try it.
00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:49.440
Um, having been you worked in in the home care industry, I worked in the home care industry, believe me, every single family says that to you.
00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:53.359
My mom's not gonna want to do this, my dad's not gonna want to do this.
00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:55.519
No one is ever happy about that.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:34:04.480
But when you do have a trained caregiver who understands this disease, they know they know what they're walking into.
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:07.359
They know that this person may not be receptive.
00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:13.519
There are also ways I feel like the agency is helpful to you where, you know, sometimes we didn't even wear a shirt.
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:15.119
We wore a regular shirt.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:17.599
We said that we were friends of the daughter.
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:24.000
We, you know, we just came up with a different story to just lighten the situation so that we could get into the house.
00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:26.880
And so just give it a chance.
00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:30.639
Don't stop and think, oh, my person will never allow this.
00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:33.119
You don't know unless you try.
00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:38.079
And you might find that this is the best thing that you ever did for yourself.
00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:43.599
So I want to add that that don't assume that this will not work.
00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.199
At least try it.
00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:48.320
And don't even give up after the first visit.
00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:51.280
You know, give it a few tries before you really make your decision.
00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:53.599
But you're doing such good work, Allison.
00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.679
I'm grateful to your entire team.
00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:57.920
Um, 12 people is a mighty team.
00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:04.800
I it sounds like we obviously have a lot of um good people who help us behind the scenes too.
00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:11.440
But yeah, it's 12 and empaths, you know, packed together, just they're great people.
00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:13.360
I never feel like this is work.
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:15.920
Everyone's here just trying trying to help people.
00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:18.320
So every day that's what you're doing.
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.239
So it's a it's a beautiful job.
00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.480
And just really appreciate you being here.
00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:28.880
I will put all of these links in the podcast show notes, and I will definitely make a donation just as a thank you.
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:32.960
And if there's anything else we can do to support you, please keep me posted.
00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:35.280
Yes, thank you so much for having me.
00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.480
Thanks, Allison.
00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:39.760
That's a wrap for today's episode of the Care Table.
00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:41.440
Thank you so much for joining me.
00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:51.199
If you found this information helpful, would you like, subscribe, write a review, or share this episode with someone that you feel could benefit from hearing this information?
00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.880
I'd sure appreciate it.
00:35:53.280 --> 00:36:05.360
If you learned of anything during this podcast as far as books, resources, or products that you might think are helpful, be sure to check out the podcast show notes or links to access that information.
00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:10.639
A friendly reminder that this is not medical or legal advice, this is just information.
00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:14.559
Consult a professional for your own personal situation.
00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:22.639
I ask that God would bless you with the wisdom, the courage, and the strength that you need as you're navigating this caretaker journey.
00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:24.960
And I want to remind you, you are not.
00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:27.840
I appreciate you joining us today.
00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:33.199
And until next time, stay strong, and I hope to see you at the Care Table.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:07.759
Greetings, listeners, and welcome to the Caretable Podcast, dedicated to educating and supporting family caregivers of aging loved ones.
00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:10.080
I'm your host, Amy Hoddleston.
00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:18.160
Through insightful interviews from both industry experts and family caregivers, we aim to provide valuable perspectives and resources.
00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:20.800
Let's see who we're learning from today.
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.960
Hello, thanks for joining us at the care table.
00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:35.840
Before we get started today, would you please like, subscribe, share this episode with anybody that you think would learn from this and that it would be helpful?
00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:37.359
We really appreciate it.
00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:41.679
Today we're going to talk about a grant that's available for families.
00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.079
It's called Hilarity for Charity.
00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.159
I'm guessing a lot of people haven't heard about it.
00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:49.280
So I'm very excited to educate listeners on what that is.
00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:55.359
And today we have someone from Hilarity for Charity that's here to join us, Alison Demon.
00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.600
She's the senior manager of respite care from Hilarity for Charity.
00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:06.079
And she's here to tell us today just about what this is, how families can access it, and why it got started.
00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:09.040
So Alison, grill really good to have you here.
00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:10.159
Thanks for joining.
00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:11.680
Thanks for having me.
00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:18.319
So let's start first with just telling us, you know, Hilarity for Charity, if you've never heard of it before.
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:25.840
Basically, the founders are Seth Rogan, the actor, his wife Lauren Miller-Rogan.
00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.159
And tell us what the history is of how this got started by them.
00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:30.879
Got it.
00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:45.280
So Hilarity for Charity, or I'll probably call it HFC, just to shorten it up for these purposes, is a national nonprofit that was founded back in 2012 by Seth and Lauren.
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:52.400
Lauren's mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's at just 55 years old.
00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:55.920
It was newer in the relationship with her and Seth.
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So Seth really walked the journey alongside Lauren.
00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:17.840
And together they were able to really see the impact that this disease has on a family, what it means to be a caregiver, and really how fortunate they were that they had the finances to be able to hire care and have help for her mom.
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:24.560
And they really wanted to make it their mission that other people would have that same advantage as well.
00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:32.560
So it started with just a comedy and kind of a fundraising event, grew into kind of an organization that we are today.
00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:34.719
We're a small but mighty team.
00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:36.400
There's only 12 of us.
00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:42.879
But it's really our mission to live out their mission of helping others who need who need care.
00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:45.680
So now we kind of focus on three things.
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.120
We want to support families impacted by Alzheimer's.
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We want to inspire the next generation of advocates and caregivers.
00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.879
And we work on advancing uh brain health education and research.
00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:25.919
But I would say at the heart of it and where it originally started was through the Caregiver Respite Grant program, which we'll get a little more into it, but it's how to turn something that's a deeply like positive or a deeply personal experience into something that's positive, making sure they're not alone and adding a little bit of levity to a very heavy conversation.
00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:37.680
I think, you know, obviously when someone first gets that diagnosis and at 55, oh my goodness, it does, it's obviously devastating to the person who receives the diagnosis.
00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:45.759
But as the disease progresses, my experience is it gets so hard on the family because you're you're grieving the loss of that person.
00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:50.319
So I like to hear that this organization is supporting the families.
00:03:50.560 --> 00:04:03.840
You're also talking about how can we advance brain health so we can try to avoid this and then make sure we've got advocates, people that understand the impact this has on families and the expense, like you're saying.
00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:10.080
You know, if you're fortunate, if you have the funds, but if you don't, uh, it can be uh incredibly difficult.
00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.400
So I admire that they started this.
00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:13.919
I think it's so great.
00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:19.040
Um, I read that HFC's mission is bringing light to Alzheimer's.
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:25.680
So, how does that show up in the everyday support that you're providing to families?
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I think it goes back to what I previously mentioned that there is still light and laughter in life.
00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:38.959
Um, and I think we want to be reminders that um not everything has to be super heavy.
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We're here to make sure that you're heard, um, seen, felt, understood by someone else.
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And we do it, I guess, maybe in a little bit lighter way.
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The tone of everything we do, our website, everything adds a little um more lightness to the topic.
00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.360
So you mentioned he's a comedian, too.
00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:00.319
He's a comedian.
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:06.240
So yeah, let's, you know, I I mean, that wasn't even my next question, but I know that it started.
00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:11.120
He did do like a comedy show that was a fundraiser for HFC.
00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:11.519
Yeah.
00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:13.040
Does that continue?
00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:14.480
Like, is that still happening?
00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:15.360
It does continue.
00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:19.519
It's kind of evolved, and we do lots of little, littler things.
00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:27.600
Um, but he also just did um, he collaborated with Netflix, and the benefits from that collaboration came back to us.
00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:33.120
So instead of it being just one big show, we do still have, you know, our signature event.
00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:48.000
It's, you know, evolved into all different things, friends giving, um, other things, but it's also all these other little, littler items that are happening, you know, in New York, in LA, or kind of now all over the United States.
00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:48.800
Wow.
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Okay.
00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:54.560
So what makes HFC different than, for instance, like the Alzheimer's Association?
00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:57.680
I think while we're all, you know, fighting the same fight.
00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:02.879
I think, like we said, ours is maybe a little more on a personal level.
00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:20.000
So we focus a lot, not only we're we're more caring for the caregiver, is, you know, a lot of how important we feel it is if the caregiver isn't well taken care of, they can't provide good care for their loved ones, um, or just the toll that that takes on a family.
00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:28.079
So we really spend a lot of time focusing on the caregiver as well as the person with Alzheimer's or dementia.
00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:36.800
Um, we also really love to talk about our support groups, how there is something out there for everyone, thanks to the virtual world.
00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:43.519
Um, and again, we just make sure that every person that comes to us, we have something to offer them.
00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:52.720
Whether they don't qualify for respite grants, they can leave us with some sort of resources to help out on their caregiving journey.
00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:55.279
So you mentioned these support groups.
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So, and you said virtual.
00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:00.639
So they're online support groups that you're offering.
00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:02.000
Is that what you're saying?
00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:03.199
Exactly.
00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:26.480
So, as we all know, we there's plenty of rural areas throughout the United States where I mean, we had someone, if if I'm a 65-year-old male living in rural Montana and I'm caring for my wife, I maybe don't have the outlet to go out and find a caregiving or I mean a support group in my community.
00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:27.759
We will help you do that.
00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.439
We'll help you connect with someone else who's maybe in the same stage of life.
00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:37.199
We can even get to the point maybe where we find somebody who has similar interests in you.
00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:42.639
Um, and all of our groups are led by credentialed facilitators.
00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:49.360
So everyone, I mean, we spend a lot of time and care and matching you with a group of people who are the right fit for you.
00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:53.439
And that I assume can be, you can review that on your website.
00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.079
All of that, yep, that's available on the website.
00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:59.040
So I will definitely link to that in the show notes.
00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:03.839
So you offer online support groups, which is something that's available to caregivers.
00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:15.920
Um, what other, you know, we'll we'll talk about the respite grants in a moment, but other than the respite grants and the support groups, what other things are offered from Hilarity for Charity?
00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:16.800
Got it.
00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:21.680
So we have something that I personally think is really fun that's available on our website.
00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:23.839
It's called the Caregiver Road Trip.
00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:30.240
It's a free interactive digital guide created specifically for dementia caregivers.
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:37.279
And it really focuses on those under 50, which seems to be kind of where most of our population comes from.
00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:42.240
But it has resources and tools to help families navigate everything.
00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:46.879
I mean, care planning, relationships, finances, meal planning.
00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:54.080
Um, it kind of walks through all the different things that you go on with your journey, but it's super fun and interactive.
00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:02.720
Like you're packing up to go on a road trip and you know, kind of uh again, a lighter way to look at the journey that we're going on in the process.
00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:08.080
So I think it's just a fun, less heavy take on what we're going through.
00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:09.679
And you said it's free.
00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:10.320
It's free.
00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:11.840
Everything is free.
00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:16.720
So we have music wellness, we have mental health support through better help.
00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:22.080
Um, we have caregiver wellness and community lounges.
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:38.480
So, for instance, if you are not maybe necessarily wanting to join a support group, but you still just want to connect with other people in the Alzheimer's community, uh, we or caregiver community, we have these community lounges where you can sign up.
00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:45.600
Um, you it's for specific topics, you can learn about, talk to others who are in the same situation.
00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:49.120
And it's just again another way to connect with other people.
00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.240
I had no idea that you offered all this.
00:09:52.480 --> 00:10:04.080
And I love it's all virtual because so many of these caregivers, it's very difficult for them to find someone to stay with their person and you know, try to get out.
00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:08.240
And so to have all of this on your website, I had no idea all that existed.
00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.440
So we'll definitely link to these in the show notes.
00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:20.879
So great, I mean, you got your wellness programs, your community lounge, your caregiver road trip guide, um, and the online support groups.
00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:38.000
Like I definitely have a plethora of resources I can access, but I want to dig a little deeper into your respite grants, which I feel like is kind of your it's your bread and butter, I would guess, and like the way you're really supporting these caregivers.
00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:44.399
So let's dig a little bit into the respite grants and what what does that mean exactly to a family?
00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:46.399
Not everybody even understands the word respite.
00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:49.279
So let's talk about what a respite grant is.
00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:49.840
Sure.
00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:56.799
A respite grant is a chance for a caregiver to use their time as their own.
00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:01.440
So being able to go out and do the things that they need to do.
00:11:01.679 --> 00:11:09.279
Sometimes that can be as simple as wanting to run an errand, go to the grocery store by yourself.
00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:13.120
All things that I think a lot of us start to take for granted.
00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:26.000
But when you're caring for someone 24-7, especially if they end up being bedbound or are just not able, you know, to leave and go run those errands with you, you become a prisoner of your own home.
00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:29.279
And that can become very isolating.
00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:41.039
Uh, and so we really are trying to find ways for them to have that respite or break from caregiving where they can go out and do those things, or even better, go have lunch with a friend.
00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:49.440
Um, we have, you know, people who are are able to do all sorts of things that without having licensed good in-home care, they never would.
00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:59.759
So giving them that um freedom to go do the things they need to do or would like to do, meaning a caregiver would stay with their loved one.
00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:00.480
Correct.
00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:04.720
So we actually offer two different types of respite care.
00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:19.360
So um, if awarded, you either are given 100 hours of in-home care to be used over a three-month time frame, or 24 days of attendance at an adult day program.
00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:32.960
So we um maybe two years ago kind of realized that the applications that were coming in and those that we were awarding grants to were much further along in their diagnosis.
00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:36.559
So they were the ones who were doing 24-hour care.
00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:44.320
And um we felt like we were missing the pool of caregivers who were pre-burnout.
00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:49.039
Um, and we were trying to find ways to maybe get a little more ahead of the game.
00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:52.080
So that's when we introduced our adult day program.
00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:53.759
Um, also, it's so good.
00:12:53.840 --> 00:13:00.080
I mean, sometimes respite might mean I want to sit on my couch by myself.
00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.960
I want to take a nap, um, or I want to have people over, whatever that might mean.
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.120
And it might be great for their loved one.
00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:11.039
They might be in a place where they still want to get out and have socialization.
00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:17.919
Um so that's when we decided we were missing that side and we added our adult day grants.
00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:22.720
So one application puts you in for either one.
00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:28.080
And how we distinguish which one you get would be how you answer some of the questions in the application.
00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.120
We ask, do you currently attend adult day program?
00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.519
Would you be interested in attending?
00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:39.360
So and some might say no, or you may not have an adult day program near you.
00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:40.799
Exactly.
00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:50.879
And let's say someone is awarded an adult day grant and they um are not able to find a program in their area, they we don't force them to stay in that.
00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:55.200
We we still want them to have the respite so they're able to switch it over to an in-home care grant.
00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:59.120
We we will help you find a resource for you to get hours.
00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:07.519
So I apply, I'm gonna just say I'm okay, I'm I'm a caregiver and I'm gonna go to Hilarity for Charities website.
00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:16.720
I'm going to apply for a respite grant so that I can get some help in my home or an adult day program, for instance, where I would take my person.
00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:20.240
Um so I apply for this.
00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:24.320
And what is it that I need to share to apply?
00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.279
How, like, how how hard is this application?
00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:28.080
Got it.
00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:34.639
So the first thing you'll have to do is to be eligible, you'll have to answer yes to the following four questions.
00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:38.639
Um, and those are you will need to live in the United States or Canada.
00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:45.600
You, as the caregiver, will need to live in the same home as the person you are caring for.
00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:53.440
Um, the person you're caring for will have to have an official diagnosis of Alzheimer's or a dementia related.
00:14:53.919 --> 00:15:07.440
Um, and then the fourth one would be, and people sometimes get caught up on this when it says, Do you have financial or emotional hardships with caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia?
00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.960
I can't imagine anyone really being able to say no.
00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:16.000
Um, so we we do not ask for any financial proof.
00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:22.080
Um, we don't feel like we're the ones to judge, you know, what someone's financial situation is.
00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:29.840
So if you are having financial or emotional hardships and can say yes, along with those other three, then you're eligible to apply.
00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:35.600
Um, the next step, the application, we redid it for if anyone has done it in the past.
00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:41.600
Uh, it used to be really heavy in storytelling, um, a lot of open-ended questions.
00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:47.039
But again, we found that the grants were going to people who were just really amazing storytellers.
00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:52.159
And a lot of caregivers who are filling this out don't have hours to complete it.
00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:59.279
Sometimes they aren't even super familiar with a computer, much less being able to tell, you know, their their stories.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:09.600
So we really changed it to have more questions just geared to telling us about their loved one and what level of care they're needing and what level of care they're needing for themselves.
00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:11.919
So it takes about 10 minutes now.
00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:22.080
There's only two open-ended questions because no one can explain their entire situation just in yes, no questions.
00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:32.720
So there is a chance for um you to share a little bit about your story or what's happening in your life at the end that our review committee will listen to or will read as well.
00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.000
So that 10 minutes is not long.
00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.840
That seems reasonable for someone to be able to complete that.
00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.440
And that's really great.
00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:45.519
I love that it's short and um simple questions.
00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.799
So you then mentioned you have a review committee.
00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:49.919
So how does that work?
00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:52.399
Once you submit the application, what happens?
00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:55.759
And then roughly how long do you think it takes to hear from you?
00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:01.919
So there's um kind of two stages to how we I hate using the word score.
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:14.480
I mean, we're talking about people, and it I don't want it to sound like you know, you're taking a test, but it goes through the the first round, and based on the way that you answer your questions, you're kind of given a score.
00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:21.519
And then the next part is we go in and the review, whoever's reviewing your application reads that other part.
00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:24.880
And that's kind of the secondary, you know, end of it.
00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:36.799
And so after those are kind of calculated and then we send those out, it takes the entire process takes 60 to 65 days.
00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.759
Which might it is longer than we would like it to be.
00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:56.160
But uh how it works for us is if you apply anytime in the month of September, whether the first day or the last day, that entire pool of applicants gets reviewed in the month of October, and then you find out the first of November.
00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:01.279
So it could be as short as 30 days, as long as 65 days.
00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:04.640
What happens if you tell me no?
00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:10.720
If I tell you no, um you should reapply.
00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:17.599
You should reapply the next month because every month is a different set of applicants.
00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:19.599
The applicant pool is different.
00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:26.160
There are also times where our funding is different, and some months we're able to give out more grants.
00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:29.680
So as much money as we have to give, we give.
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:32.000
So that sometimes changes.
00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:36.480
We sometimes have franchise, we have offices who donate ours.
00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:39.519
So that might mean more grants will go out in a month.
00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:43.680
So it all depends kind of on how our funding, how our funding goes.
00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:44.319
Okay.
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:46.960
So then let's say you said yes to me.
00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:48.880
What happens next?
00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:55.359
So what happens if I say yes to you is I will match you with an in-home care company.
00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:00.799
We currently partner with Home Instead, but you are not required to use Home Instead.
00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:08.640
So if you've already been using a care company, we're not going to ask you to switch to someone else, especially once you feel comfortable with them.
00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:18.000
Or if there's just someone else in your community that you feel strongly about wanting to have your care with, we are completely open to you, to you using them as well.
00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:33.039
Um, so they will, if if you do use home instead, they will contact you and they will set up a care consultation and you'll work with them to figure out what your care needs are, what the schedule is that you're wanting to set up.
00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.319
And then it's it really is as easy as that.
00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:41.680
All of the invoicing will come directly to us and you will receive the hundred hours of care.
00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.200
That's phenomenal.
00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:43.759
Yes.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:46.480
If it's adult day, it's a little trickier.
00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:52.720
Um, there are fewer adult days, and there isn't kind of a big franchise system.
00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:58.880
So you do when it comes to adult day, especially because you're taking your loved one out of your home somewhere.
00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:05.519
We really are having you vet those companies and you figure out what's the best fit for your loved one.
00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:08.319
Um, and then after that, it goes the same way.
00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:12.720
The invoices come to us and and you can complete your 24 days of care.
00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:16.160
So you already have the relationship with home instead.
00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:20.079
If I'm using an existing company, I can continue to use them.
00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:24.400
What about if I have a private caregiver that I use?
00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.319
Am I able to use the grant?
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:26.799
Okay.
00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.759
Yes, that's okay.
00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:28.079
Okay.
00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:29.119
Same thing.
00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:33.119
Again, we we are here to make your, you know, their life easier.
00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.240
We are wanting them to have a caregiver they feel comfortable with.
00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:44.319
Um, I mean, it it literally takes one extra piece of paperwork, but yes, you can also use your own private caregiver that you've been using.
00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:46.559
Okay, that's amazing.
00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:50.640
Um, and I like that I can reapply if I get if I get a no.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:53.519
Um even if you get a yes, you can reapply.
00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:58.880
Um, every three months, you can reapply and you can get up to three grants in an 18-month time frame.
00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:00.640
Oh my goodness.
00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:01.119
Okay.
00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:01.680
Yes.
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:08.480
Okay, so every three months, and you said I can get three grants in an 18-month period.
00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:09.440
Correct.
00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.400
Wow.
00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:12.240
Okay, that's amazing.
00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:16.640
Uh, and a hundred hours you said, I do need to use that in a three-month period.
00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.279
Is that correct?
00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.039
Same with the adult day.
00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:19.680
Yeah.
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:20.319
Okay.
00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:40.240
Uh, can you, without obviously sharing private details of a family or anything like that, but can you share any kind of specific examples of, you know, a somebody who applied, you heard their story, what it meant for them, what it did, just to kind of give us a picture of what HFC is doing for families.
00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:42.960
Though these are the best parts of my job.
00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:48.799
So we we kind of have like a community or like a board that we share amongst each other in the office.
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.319
We call mission moments.
00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:55.039
And they're it's really hard to say no to people.
00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:57.039
And those are really sad days.
00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.759
Um, I hate the first week of the month saying no.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:07.039
But um I hold pretty tightly to the mission moments that come in that tell us the things where we're making a difference.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:13.279
Um, two weeks ago, we had someone who was caring for her her husband.
00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:17.839
Um, so she had the grant for that, and she's like, it's great, it's going well.
00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:27.039
Um and then she was at the end, needed to apply for another one, and her mom got sick and was in hospice.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:40.559
And she's like, I literally would not have been able to go fly to be with my mom while she was in hospice and then end up being with her when she passed and going to her funeral if I hadn't had this.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.559
And thank God I had this grant for somebody to take care of my husband.
00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:52.240
Um, again, we're forgetting about like people have, you know, lives outside of their four doors and other people they love and care for.
00:22:52.799 --> 00:23:00.160
But it's it's families who are taking care of their moms and dads, but they have little kids at home still.
00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:04.000
Little kids who are in school plays and sporting events.
00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:14.079
And, you know, they have given up a lot of that to care for their loved one, but they get a grant and they get to be a part of the rest of their life too.
00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.640
So it's such a gift.
00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:21.039
I mean, it's really such a great, it's just a great concept.
00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:29.279
And I liked what you explained, how you're a little different than somebody like the Alzheimer's Association because of how personal you're making this.
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:51.200
And you're giving this entire toolbox of things to families that they can use, that they can take advantage of, whether it's an online support group, whether it's the road trip, whether it's I'm gonna apply for the grant, or I like that I can be in a community where I can just go to my computer and talk to someone that understands what I'm going through, where I don't have to get in the car and drive someplace.
00:23:51.359 --> 00:24:02.559
And I think that's really intimidating for people a lot of times when they they hear about a support group, you know, that's they've got to get to and it's like six o'clock at night, and they have to get, you know, drive there.
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.160
And it's a lot.
00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:10.240
It sounds, you know, it's it's a great resource, and I'm glad they're available, but it's challenging for a caregiver to do sure.
00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:21.200
And how nice, I mean, I know the person who's in in charge of our support groups has talked about you can show up the first time, not even have your camera or your, you know, audio on.
00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:27.200
So you you get to show up and kind of check it out and decide like when you're ready to be involved.
00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:30.480
I think that's just a nice option too.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:42.079
It's an amazing option because if you easily had to hop off or, you know, go help your husband or wife, like you could do that and not feel like I have the pressure of having to have somebody stay, stay with them.
00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:44.559
So I mean, this is this is great.
00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:55.440
Um, so how do you, you know, by listening to all this feedback that you're getting from these families and the caregivers that you are reading these grant applications, you're talking to them in the support groups.
00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:00.960
Are you in any way adapting your programs based on what you hear families need?
00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:04.400
I think we're trying to adapt all the time.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:10.799
Um, sometimes I even have to rein myself in because it it just kills me to say no to people.
00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:15.680
Um, but there are there are also, I mean, there's just so many things that are happening.
00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:22.319
A great example of how we had to pivot a little bit was last year when there were the wildfires in California.
00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:27.039
So we had people whose caregivers could no longer come help their loved ones.
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:32.160
We had adult day facilities that burnt down, um, all sorts of things.
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.440
So we started another grant that you can apply for, our emergency grants.
00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:42.000
So they're for people who are in like a FEMA-designated disaster area.
00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.960
So those are the only cash grants we give.
00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:57.440
So it would be somebody who is displaced or their caregiver is displaced, or all the things that happen when suddenly you're caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia, and now you have a natural disaster on top of it.
00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:03.680
So we give out those$1,500 um cash grants um at all times.
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:08.160
They're as soon as you um apply, you're answered within a day or two.
00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:19.359
So as long as you meet those eligibility requirements, which are the same as before, plus just are you in a FEMA designated area, then you would qualify to get those cash grants as well.
00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:22.160
That's definitely adapting to a need.
00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:25.680
We always are, and just the the world we live in is changing.
00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:35.599
And so we're just trying to always find the way to help the most people in the best way possible with the funding that we that we have.
00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:47.839
I think about the future in 10 years or so and I think about you know how many baby boomers there are going to be that are aging.
00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:55.200
I think about how many facilities that exist right now and how many caregivers work for agencies.
00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:01.599
My feeling is we are not going to have enough of facilities, we're not going to have enough caregivers.
00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:04.960
And I have a feeling more people are going to need to stay home.
00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:08.240
Where a lot of people want to stay home anyway.
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:08.559
Yeah.
00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:10.880
But I have a feeling that's going to be needed.
00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:25.119
So this resource is so critical to giving these caregivers some oxygen, support, ongoing support, where I feel like it never, it's not this temporary thing where you got your grant and you're done.
00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:28.400
You've got a lot of things available to you that can be.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:38.160
Yeah, we work a lot on how we can, as they're going through different phases, how can we continue to adjust so that they continue to have a spot?
00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:43.759
I mean, if you're in a care group, uh now we have a bereavement support group.
00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:50.079
So you might move from one support group to the next, um, but we still want to be here.
00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:52.960
Also, you know, people are concerned about their own health.
00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:56.640
You know, when you're caring for someone, it makes you question your own health.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:03.839
So that's why we want to do a lot of education about, you know, early prevention or just educating our youth.
00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:10.960
Um, and for them to just, you know, understand like what might be coming in their own life, in their own families.
00:28:11.119 --> 00:28:13.039
Maybe they're called to be a caregiver.
00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:16.240
Uh, so we have youth groups all over the United States.
00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:32.319
It's called WIMA, youth movement against Alzheimer's, who we have chapters in almost every state in the United States, or a good majority of them, where it's literally high schoolers who are learning about early prevention, diagnosis, brain health.
00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:35.279
Um, so they're hopefully going to be our future.
00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:37.359
Is that also on your website?
00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:37.920
It is.
00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:38.240
Yeah.
00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:38.880
Okay.
00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:39.519
Yeah.
00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:43.359
Like, wow, that's that's we have a lot on there.
00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:55.519
That's so good, though, to hear this because I think we have to educate the youth on I also just think how to communicate with people with dementia, right?
00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:07.119
Just helping them understand, like, let's just stay in the moment, you know, don't correct them, like just kind of helping them also with just because that that's challenging in itself of just not understanding the disease.
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.240
So I agree.
00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:08.559
Yeah.
00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:22.079
And that's why our community lounges that we have, because there is, there's we have other um HFC universe, places where caregivers can learn um a lot of those sorts of topics, how to care for your loved one.
00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:28.960
I mean, just because you have someone that you love with Alzheimer's or dementia doesn't mean you know exactly how to care for them.
00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:32.720
So there's just tons of fun, light.
00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:41.279
Seth teaches some classes, um, ways to constantly how to deal with that and how to learn and be better caregivers.
00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:42.799
That's phenomenal.
00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:45.599
I'm definitely gonna dig deeper into the site.
00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:54.079
So let's say, just for anybody listening that says, oh my gosh, I love this cause and what you're doing, and it is a nonprofit.
00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:54.480
Yes.
00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:59.440
Are there ways that people can donate or you know, how do they support HFC?
00:29:59.599 --> 00:29:59.920
Yeah.
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:21.279
Again, it's on it's on our website, which our website is wearehfc.org, W-E-A-R-E-H-F-C.org, or you can just Google Hilarity for Charity, um, and you're able to make a one-time or monthly gift to help fund our respite program, support groups, brain health.
00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:26.480
Um, there's a spot where you can set up to organize a fundraiser of your own.
00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:30.319
Um, you can request an employer matching gift.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:36.559
I know a lot of companies offer that and list us as who you want the matching program to be.
00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:39.279
Um, leave a lasting legacy.
00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:47.440
So when your loved ones pass away or you're making planning for those things, um, eligible stock donations, those things.
00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:50.319
I think it's just keeping us in mind.
00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:59.519
Um, and then the last and best one is just spread the word about us and spread the word about how we can help and care for others.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:01.039
So good.
00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:04.319
I will make a donation just to thank you for doing this today.
00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:05.680
Oh, you're awesome.
00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:12.960
I really appreciate it because I just I had no idea that there were this many resources available from HFC.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:14.559
So I'm very excited about that.
00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.559
And any way that we can help families going through this, I'm all for.
00:31:19.039 --> 00:31:20.799
Um, and is there any way?
00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:24.000
So you talked about like you you can host a fundraiser.
00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:25.359
I have to ask about that.
00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.599
Do I have to be like a comedian?
00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:32.240
Like when you say host a fundraiser, I was gonna say, what kind of option is that is a fundraiser.
00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.640
We literally had a group of Waima kids.
00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:42.400
I mean, they organize bake sales and and I mean, literally anything where the profits go to HFC.
00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:44.640
So it can be any sort of fundraiser, anything.
00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:51.119
We have people who do galas of their own um offices who do that and they donate, they donate back to us.
00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.799
So that makes me feel better.
00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:54.960
Yeah, I am not doing stand-up.
00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:57.680
I would love to see you do a stand-up act.
00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:59.119
I would pass out.
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.240
So that's why I was like, wait a minute, do you have to be a comedian?
00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:04.480
Okay, I can do the bake sale.
00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:06.319
I can do that, but I love that.
00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:09.119
So yeah, um no, I will definitely be sharing this.
00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:14.240
Yeah, not really, but I I will share this too on our social media.
00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:24.559
You had said, so listeners should go to wearehfc.org to explore your resources, to apply for a grant, to join the support group.
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:30.480
They can make a gift, they could organize their own fundraiser, um, all of it.
00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:32.319
It sounds so it's so great.
00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:37.039
And is there anything else we miss that you would want to share about HFC?
00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:47.200
Um God, I almost feel teary saying it, but I guess I'd want every caregiver listening to hear like you matter too.
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.000
Like when you're caring for someone you love, it's easy to put your own needs last.
00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:58.559
You feel guilty taking a break, asking for help, admitting it's hard, but you can't pour into an empty cup.
00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.759
And taking a break for yourself isn't selfish.
00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:05.359
It's um part of caring for your loved one and loving yourself.
00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:07.839
So no, you don't have to do this alone.
00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:14.559
There are people, there are resources, communities ready to support you, um, even if you haven't found them yet.
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:22.960
Hilarity for charity, we want you to know that you're seeing, your work matters, and the love you give makes a difference.
00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.559
That's beautiful.
00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:32.480
I would also add, too, I think sometimes caregivers would say, My person's gonna be resistant to someone helping.
00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:39.359
I don't think that's the reason for you to not apply for this grant and try it.
00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:49.440
Um, having been you worked in in the home care industry, I worked in the home care industry, believe me, every single family says that to you.
00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:53.359
My mom's not gonna want to do this, my dad's not gonna want to do this.
00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:55.519
No one is ever happy about that.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:34:04.480
But when you do have a trained caregiver who understands this disease, they know they know what they're walking into.
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:07.359
They know that this person may not be receptive.
00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:13.519
There are also ways I feel like the agency is helpful to you where, you know, sometimes we didn't even wear a shirt.
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:15.119
We wore a regular shirt.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:17.599
We said that we were friends of the daughter.
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:24.000
We, you know, we just came up with a different story to just lighten the situation so that we could get into the house.
00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:26.880
And so just give it a chance.
00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:30.639
Don't stop and think, oh, my person will never allow this.
00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:33.119
You don't know unless you try.
00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:38.079
And you might find that this is the best thing that you ever did for yourself.
00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:43.599
So I want to add that that don't assume that this will not work.
00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.199
At least try it.
00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:48.320
And don't even give up after the first visit.
00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:51.280
You know, give it a few tries before you really make your decision.
00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:53.599
But you're doing such good work, Allison.
00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:55.679
I'm grateful to your entire team.
00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:57.920
Um, 12 people is a mighty team.
00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:04.800
I it sounds like we obviously have a lot of um good people who help us behind the scenes too.
00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:11.440
But yeah, it's 12 and empaths, you know, packed together, just they're great people.
00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:13.360
I never feel like this is work.
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:15.920
Everyone's here just trying trying to help people.
00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:18.320
So every day that's what you're doing.
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.239
So it's a it's a beautiful job.
00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.480
And just really appreciate you being here.
00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:28.880
I will put all of these links in the podcast show notes, and I will definitely make a donation just as a thank you.
00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:32.960
And if there's anything else we can do to support you, please keep me posted.
00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:35.280
Yes, thank you so much for having me.
00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.480
Thanks, Allison.
00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:39.760
That's a wrap for today's episode of the Care Table.
00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:41.440
Thank you so much for joining me.
00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:51.199
If you found this information helpful, would you like, subscribe, write a review, or share this episode with someone that you feel could benefit from hearing this information?
00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.880
I'd sure appreciate it.
00:35:53.280 --> 00:36:05.360
If you learned of anything during this podcast as far as books, resources, or products that you might think are helpful, be sure to check out the podcast show notes or links to access that information.
00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:10.639
A friendly reminder that this is not medical or legal advice, this is just information.
00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:14.559
Consult a professional for your own personal situation.
00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:22.639
I ask that God would bless you with the wisdom, the courage, and the strength that you need as you're navigating this caretaker journey.
00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:24.960
And I want to remind you, you are not.
00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:27.840
I appreciate you joining us today.
00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:33.199
And until next time, stay strong, and I hope to see you at the Care Table.
