It all started through another project - delivering meals to the needy old frail people in our community. Because of this we came across a number of underprivileged/lower income groups of people at various stages of Alzheimer's. These folk were living on their own and not coping too well.Their bodies were fed but not their minds? There was no stimulation. They were lonely and insecure. Because of financial constraints of the families involved, the cost of getting a caregiver in to look after their loved one was beyond their means. Therefore they were often left on their own during the day. Some of these folk wandered off and got lost. Some were confined to a locked up house or even worse a locked room. Some even showed signs of sexual abuse. We have come across many sad cases in our little village alone and there are many more out there that we don't know about. Alzheimer's is a debilitating disease for the sufferer as well as the family and caregiver. It is not easy to accept that your loved one will be there in body but not in mind. It is hard to think that someone you have known all your life will eventually not know who you are. The Living Cornerstone is there to help one cope with the inevitable, to lighten the load and provide a secure environment where sufferers are cared for in a loving homely atmosphere, a real home from home ambiance.
