Earlier this month news broke that Lilly and AstraZeneca, two very large drug companies, abandoned Alzheimer’s drug trials for their late-stage Alzheimer’s treatment. This comes following the announcement in January that Pfizer plans to end its research efforts to discover new drugs for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. How very disappointing for all of us who have been patiently waiting, and hoping for some positive development on the Alzheimer’s front.

This news also calls to mind that in the absence of a prevention, treatment, or cure, the work of CaringKind could not be more relevant or important for today. Every day you hear or read about caregiving and the emotional, physical and economic toll it takes on a family. This is difficult work that only those who are caregivers truly understand.

For more than thirty years, CaringKind has been at the forefront of dementia care and over the years we have developed many programs to make the lives of caregivers a little better and easier. One such program is connect2culture, which is the focus of this issue of the newsletter. Living and working in New York City, the cultural capital of the world, it is hard to imagine that there are so few cultural resources that are open and welcoming to people with dementia and their caregivers. Connect2culture is opening the door to the richness of the arts for this community, be it a live music performance at Lincoln Center, or attending a concert of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, exploring nature at a botanical garden or visiting a museum. Connect2culture ensures that staff at these institutions, from the security guard to the musician to the educator, are knowledgeable about Alzheimer’s disease, the best way to present information, and how to make the overall experience a rewarding and enriching one. Dementia caregiving is isolating and lonely, and yet community can be found in music, art and nature.

As with all our programs at CaringKind, we rely upon donor support to make our work possible. Our connect2culture program has received support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Inc., the Burpee Foundation, Inc. and Art for Alzheimer’s, as well as from individual donors.

If you wish to learn more about this program and how you can support connect2culture or our other services, please contact me at 646-744-2905 or cberne@caringkindnyc.org.

Know Your Charity

The following organizations ARE NOT affiliated with CaringKind:

• Alzheimer's Association
• Alzheimer's Association,
• New York City Chapter
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Resource Center (ADRC)
• Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation
• Alzheimer's Foundation of America
• Bright Focus Foundation

Ways to Give

Giving by Check
Please make checks payable to CaringKind and mail to:
360 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Online/Credit Card
Click here to Donate or call 646-744-2908 or 2927. We
accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express.

Appreciated Securities
Gifts such as stocks or bonds may offer substantial tax advantages. Please speak to your tax advisor. Click here to learn more.

Bequests
Click here to learn more.
By remembering CaringKind in your will, you can have a significant impact on improving the quality of care for those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Your bequest may have estate tax planning benefits as well. The following is sample bequest language for discussion with your attorney:

I, _____________ (first and last name, city, state, zip), give, devise and bequeath to CaringKind (or Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, New York City, Inc.) with offices located at 360 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10017, (insert written amount of gift, percentage of the estate, or residuary of estate, or description of property) to be used for (insert “its unrestricted use” or name of CaringKind program).

Life Insurance and Retirement Plans
Click here to learn more.
CaringKind can be named a beneficiary of your retirement plan or insurance policy.

Donor Advised Funds
Click here to learn more.
If you have established a donor advised fund through another organization (e.g., community foundation, investment firm) you may recommend the award of a grant to CaringKind. Please check the guidelines pertaining to your donor advised fund.

Corporate Giving
Click here to learn more.
Payroll deductions, matching gifts, and event sponsorships are ways to support CaringKind.

100% of your donation supports New York City individuals and families affected by an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis.