Sue's Story:

"My parents have been coming to Buena Vista since I was a child. Originally, we would camp and spend time with family making beautiful memories in the area. Once my parents retired, they permanently joined my aunt and uncle as BV residents and have been living here ever since. A few years back, our family began noticing changes in Dad’s behavior and sought medical expertise at UC Health in Denver. The diagnosis confirmed that Dad had early-stage Alzheimer’s. That was four years ago. As the disease progresses, we are encountering more and more challenges in continuing to care for Dad at home. My sister and I live on the East Coast and abroad, so it isn’t always easy to support Mom as his sole caregiver. The memory care resources available to BV residents are extremely limited, and often require Mom to drive hours for Dad’s care. UAACOG in Salida has been very helpful, but have limited options for seniors in the area. While our ultimate goal is to keep Dad safe and happy at home, we are realistic and recognize that this may not be possible for much longer. We have recently begun our search for a memory care facility in the area. Unfortunately, the nearest facilities would require a long drive for us to visit or attend to Dad. As Mom also ages, it won’t be safe for her to continue driving long distances, especially in the winter. If we cannot keep Dad at home, we at least want him nearby. We fully support and appreciate the efforts of Places to Age in their attempts to create a solution for Chaffee County families."