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As an only child, Joanne took care of both of her parents when they
became elderly. When her mother developed Alzheimer's, Joanne turned
to Alzheimer’s Los Angeles and began attending classes, educational
presentations, Caregiver Wellness events, and joined a support group.

In 2023, Joanne’s father unexpectedly passed away. There was not
much time or space for her to grieve because of all the arrangements
and new responsibilities she faced. As a result, she made the difficult
decision to temporarily resign from her beloved job.

When her mother had a strange and frightening hallucination, Joanne
started to find it nearly impossible to "live in her mom's world." At her
support group, she felt validated as she shared how overwhelmed she
was and how she felt she had, "no more to give."

When it was time for Joanne to find a memory care facility for her mom, she toured various locations, read reviews
and ratings online, and discussed the pros and cons of each with the group. Eventually, Joanne placed her
mother, and for financial reasons, Joanne moved into her parents’ house. At every session, she updated the group
on her progress on going through her parents’ belongings, how she missed her own place, her therapy, and the
challenges she faced being a caregiver. Later, she had the difficult job of having to move her mom several times
to various facilities. She told the group that every time she started to take a positive step forward in her own life,
something would go wrong with her mom's.
As an active participant of the group, Joanne is not only an advocate for her mom, but also a voice for other
families. When Joanne filed a complaint with the Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing
Division about an issue at her mom’s residence, the group cheered her on. When her complaints were
substantiated, she and the group celebrated!
Joanne embodies what a support group is all about. She shows up, shares
her vulnerabilities, offers a kind and comforting ear to others, learns about
resources available, continues to educate herself on the disease, and is a
go-to person about services and events in the community. Most of all, like
everyone in the support groups, she just gets it, which is the point of it all.