Redefining the family and care to ensure that people with
Alzheimer's Disease will flourish.

The Hearthstone Alzheimer's Family Foundation was founded in 1995 to support the care and treatment of the 4½ million sufferers of Alzheimer's disease in the United States and their caregivers-both family and professional. The foundation supports the excellent work carried out by the Alzheimer's Association nationally and locally, and both public and private funding for a cure for this terrible disease. The Hearthstone Alzheimer's Family Foundation, however, focuses on what these funding sources tend to put on a back burner-the non-pharmacological treatment approaches that can immediately improve the quality of the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.

The term "non-pharmacological" does not mean that drug treatments are avoided. Rather in the view of the Foundation these are best coordinated moderately with other proven non-pharmacological treatment modalities including: environmental design, therapeutic gardens, care giver communication training, family awareness and participation in care giving, alternative health care, diet, and exercise among many others.

The state of research is unbalanced. Small yet statistically significant differences in outcomes lead to large financial expenditures for treatments that affect only a small portion of those with the disease. Meanwhile common sense treatments go unstudied and are classified merely as "care," unworthy of careful scientific study and evaluation.

The Foundation supports both exploratory studies in these areas, as well as focused research. Since many of these interventions can only be studied in actual settings, the Foundation entertains a broad range of scientific research approaches suitable to this subject matter-including action research models of inquiry. As such, the Foundation's mission also includes direct support to develop non-pharmacological treatment projects that include an evaluation component.

The Foundation also supports education of caregivers and professionals in non-pharmacological approaches. There are many successful projects that few know about. The Foundation supports highlighting these important existing contributions to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, through competitions, publications, and other media exposure.

Not least of all, the Foundation directly supports caregivers through education about the disease, as well as the hope that presently available non-pharmacological approaches can give to all who suffer from the disease.

Our Mission

The Hearthstone Alzheimer's Family Foundation supports the treatment and education of Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. The Foundation focuses on innovative, non-pharmacological treatment approaches that have celebrated success in improving the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's disease. The Hearthstone Alzheimer's Family Foundation has made groundbreaking strides in the areas of research and education. Our goal is to increase the scope and influence The Foundation has in this important treatment area.

The Hearthstone Alzheimer's Family Foundation's keystone mission is to empower families and care-giving staff to work effectively together so people with Alzheimer's/dementia will flourish. The Foundation's Funding priorities are two-fold; we are focused on catalyzing, expediting, and implementing innovations in the non-pharmacological treatment and care of people with Alzheimer's Disease/dementia. A significant element of our work incorporates the participation and education of families and care-giving staff. Equally important to The Foundation is it's support in research, demonstration, education, and dissemination projects which enhance the lives of all patients living with Alzheimer's/dementia.

Facing a prolonged end of life with a progressive cognitive disease is a profound challenge for the aging person and his or her entire family. Families are called upon to make important decisions and commitments to care even if they are dispersed across the country or have limited resources. There is no brief involvement here. The family's responsibility is extensive and extended. Indeed, it is so difficult that many others, dedicated individuals who work in the medical and senior care professions, become the families' partners in making the decisions and in enabling the lives of their loved ones. Over time the Alzheimer's Disease/dementia progresses, presenting a continuing evolution of demands. A revised understanding, new interactive skills, and even more momentous decisions are included in the families' challenges. Families progress on this journey with other "caretakers" such as physicians, geriatric psychiatrists, adult day care providers, assisted living and nursing home staff. Their worlds, ideas, patterns, and even language have to be learned, interacted with, and negotiated in order for families to be the good, effective family members they must be on behalf of the person with Alzheimer's Disease/dementia. As competent as family members may be, this task, and all of its elements, are a tall order.

Fortunately, diagnostic and treatment tools, both pharmacological and nonpharmacological, are evolving rapidly. Ultimately, better solutions will result from this powerful evolution. Yet, navigating this territory responsibly and effectively requires that families access resources and information to develop an increasingly sophisticated knowledge base. Developments in pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, diagnostics and genetics, professional training, funding, and residential alternatives are critical areas for families and other providers to understand well. The integrated approach of an "extended Alzheimer's family" is needed to make decisions and to provide treatment and continuing care.

Family members are the primary holders of the responsibility for navigating these waters. They are the husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, sons- and daughters-in-law, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and friends-like-family who bear witness to the magnificent, whole lives of their loved ones even while learning to connect most appropriately with their loved ones in the present moment.

Families welcome the partnership of the dedicated experts who come to play a critical, family-like role in the lives of their loved ones. Yet, working together is not always straightforward. Families and providers don't always understand each other's perspectives. They sometimes find it difficult to work easily together even though each brings an essential contribution to making certain that the life of the person with Alzheimer's/dementia will flourish. As family members attempt to negotiate this difficult terrain, their actions and questions may be interpreted as denial or complaint. As professionals recommend or take different courses of action, they may be seen as insensitive to families' concerns for their loved ones or their need to understand. The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation recognizes the validity and importance of families' and professionals' roles in this extended Alzheimer's family.

An Alternate Scenario: the "Extended Alzheimer's Family"

The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation envisions an alternate, very possible, scenario in which families are empowered to play a full and effective role in the evolving cultural environment of Alzheimer's Disease - a scenario in which families and providers together are "partners-like-family" in supporting the lives of people with Alzheimer's/dementia. Indeed, it is the life of the person with Alzheimer's Disease/dementia that brings this extended Alzheimer's family together. The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation focuses its support on projects that encourage families to join their life-long knowledge, affection, and commitment with the expertise and commitment of medical and extended care providers and staff who are an intimate part of the lives of people with Alzheimer's/dementia. The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation is committed to the support of projects to generate and educate this extended Alzheimer's Family through the development and delivery of innovations to enhance the lives of people with Alzheimer's Disease/dementia.

The Foundation's Funding Priorities

The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation focuses on catalyzing, expediting, and implementing innovations in the treatment and care of people with Alzheimer's Disease/dementia that incorporate the participation and education of families and care-giving staff. The Foundation specifically supports projects that incorporate:

The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation offers you the opportunity to join us in accomplishing our mission - empowering families and care-giving staff to work effectively together so people with Alzheimer's/dementia will flourish, and so families and staff will be fulfilled by executing their committed responsibilities. We make our organization available to you if you wish to play a role in funding projects that improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's/dementia through empowering the "extended Alzheimer's family."

If you would like more information on making a donation to the Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation, please click here to send us an email. Please be sure to include your name, address and email address, or just click the icon above to donate on line.