In 2019, Lower Cape Fear LifeCare (LCFL), a local nonprofit hospice and palliative care provider, began a pilot program to provide support, education, and resources to caregivers of loved ones living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. Since its inception, the program has assisted almost 1,400 participants and caregivers in our community with regular assessments, resources, and respite care, as well as educational and supportive services.  The program partners with assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, community groups, organizations, and businesses to inform them about behaviors to identify normal aging as opposed to indicators of dementia illnesses. It also offers training to create awareness and develop a more inclusive community for those living with these types of illnesses.

In 2020, the pilot program expanded its community services thanks to a one-million-dollar grant, distributed over three years, from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living. LCFL underwent a competitive application process and was one of only twelve organizations nationwide to be awarded a grant. The program has also received generous community support with more than $100,000 being given to ensure these services are available to local families. LCFL formed LifeCare Memory Partners, a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to provide an even more robust and sustainable program to continue serving the growing needs of our communities.