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-pharmacologic 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 together so people with Alzheimer's 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. A significant element of our work incorporates the participation and education of families and care-giving staff. Equally important to The Foundation is its support in research, demonstration, education, and dissemination projects which enhance the lives of all patients living with Alzheimer's.

The Challenge
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 is a tall order
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Fortunately, diagnostic and treatment tools, both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic, 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 pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic 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. 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.

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.

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:

• Research about the contributions that proposed innovations in care make to the quality of lives of people with Alzheimer's Disease, their families, or care-giving staff
• Demonstration of prototype environmental designs, multi-faceted treatment approaches, and family involvement
• Education about the opportunities families and care-giving staff have to design, implement, and evaluate these innovations on behalf of people with Alzheimer's
• Widespread dissemination of the methods and effects of these innovations

The Hearthstone Alzheimer Family Foundation supports research, demonstration, education, and dissemination projects such as:

• Enhancement of communication between families, care-giving staff and medical care providers
• Communication approaches to reduce symptomatic catastrophic reactions
• Therapeutic activities designed to improve attention and reduce anxiety
• Design of physical environment features to cue memories, support independence, improve way-finding, or produce positive emotions
• Use of nature, gardens, plants, and animals as therapeutic milieu
• Complementary and holistic health approaches to care for Alzheimer's/dementia
• Understanding of medications to enhance cognitive function and treat related clinical problems
• Understanding and use of diagnostic tools for current and future generations

How can you help?
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 will flourish, and so families and staff will be fulfilled. 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 through empowering the "extended Alzheimer's family."     << back