Our Newsletter & E-News

January 10, 2008

Dear Donors:

As the NJF Center begins 2008, there are many things to be thankful for. One of those is the tax deductible donations we received in 2007 from generous supporters such as you. It is with heartfelt gratitude we thank you for your generous donations for the year of 2007. Your support of our programs, mission, and welfare of informal caregivers and their families is invaluable. Allow me to express our gratitude to those who have assisted in funding programs that support our mission and vision. I would like to share with you how we have put those funds into action!

2007 Accomplishments!

• Provided free services to over 150 families who are providing informal care to loved ones with chronic or terminal illnesses. These services included locating resources, in-home care and/or assisted living facilities.
• Developed and implemented our Care Facility Placement Program to help families in situations where higher levels of care, observation and expertise are needed and only an appropriate facility can provide, while also providing free services to 85% of our assisted living placement clients.
• Applied for, was accepted and then trained by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America as an Excellence in Care Specialist providing assessments and training to private care homes in the care of Alzheimer’s patients or those with other related dementias.
• Continued to expand and evolve our web-based program through which families can access one-on-one help through the NJF Center’s programs or other resources.
• Received an amazing response from the community through private donations, gifts and foundational grants totaling over $151,000.
• Additionally, the NJF Center has received recognition from the medical/provider community through its collaborative efforts with The Mohammad Ali Parkinson’s Research Center, The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, major hospitals including; the Mayo Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix Baptist Hospital, and the Banner Hospitals, local hospices and a variety of providers including skilled nursing facilities, long term care providers and private group homes.
• Recruited and trained two new volunteers who will have an active role in donating valuable time and services for the year of 2008.

How We Help Families

The NJF Center’s method and impact can be illustrated by the case of a family from Maricopa County. The Center was contacted by this multigenerational family living together, consisting of a grandfather, grandmother, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. These two couples had pooled their modest resources and purchased a home with a casita, with the older couple occupying the guest house, while the younger couple and their children resided in the main house. Their strategy of combining four modest incomes and investing in a better home than either couple could afford on their own was serving the family well and leading to a better life for them and the younger couple’s children. And then tragedy struck this family.

When they contacted the NJF Center, the grandmother was alternating aggressive medical treatment with palliative care, three months after having been suddenly and unexpectedly diagnosed with metastasized cancer. Because of the grandmother’s illness and her need for care, the older couple was unable to contribute financially and the family’s income was effectively cut in half over a four month period. With mounting healthcare and travel expenses, substantially reduced income, the stresses of illness, grief and the demands of caregiving, every member of the family was stressed to their limit. The younger couple was doing everything possible to meet the family’s obligations, while the older couple was fighting the cancer and trying to comfort each other.

The NJF Center was able to assess the older couple’s situation and help them understand the benefits and costs of the various treatment options available to them; measured against the prognosis they had been given. Armed with a clear understanding of the types of care available and the benefits of each, the grandmother elected to enroll in hospice and was able to receive a very high level of care at home. Much of the pain she had been experiencing was relieved and so was much of the distress felt by her family.

The NJF Center then looked to the family’s immediate financial threats and located a resource that helped with a one-time grant so they could catch up on their car payment. Because of the services offered through hospice, the family experienced a reduction in many of the costs associated with managing care on their own. Many calls were placed from the center’s offices as sources of assistance were researched. NJF Center staff invested a great deal of time answering questions and asking more in order to determine what resources the family could qualify for. The family, dealing with the illness and care of their loved one however, only had to make an occasional call to the NJF Center and then to the various resources the center found to be compatible with the family’s needs and situation.

The end result was one that the staff at the NJF Center sees often. This family was impacted greatly by the loss of one they loved dearly, but they weathered the challenges associated with caregiving, grief and loss. Because of the assistance of an organization with staff willing and able to assess and prioritize their needs, match those with resources available, clearly explain options and lend guidance where requested, this family weathered the financial storm caused by their caregiving challenge. They were able to provide the best care possible in a very difficult situation, with very limited financial resources and they avoided an impending financial catastrophe.

The grandfather of this family initially contacted the NJF Center for grief counseling and assistance for his wife in deciding whether she should actively pursue treatment for her late stage cancer or pursue a course of palliative care. Through the assessment during the initial phone call, the organization discovered the other issues this family was facing because of the costs and stress associated with illness and caregiving. Our staff was able to provide the in-house counseling the grandfather was seeking, but also able to help the family obtain emergency funding and other resources so they could dedicate themselves to their loved one during her final weeks without the worry of losing their home and belongings. This family was facing a short term crisis that could have resulted in long term financial devastation. The NJF Center was able to provide resources that addressed the emotional, moral and ethical challenges they faced, improved the care they were able to provide to a dying loved one, and also allowed them to, keep their home, their car, “get back on their feet” and recover from their loss, rather than sustain further financial and emotional damage.

Your gift helped heal families who are often wounded, grieving and desperate. Thank you for your heartfelt consideration and your continued support. Our mission is not possible without those who give unselfishly to help others!

Warmest regards,

Rebecka Feola

Executive Director