Pat Summitt Foundation Grants

The Pat Summitt Foundation raises funds in an assortment of ways, including donations, planned giving and special events, in order to award grants to nonprofits that advance medical research, provide patient and caregiver support, and promote education and awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.

After Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2012, she especially wanted to focus on the resources available for patients and caregivers. Patients become increasingly dependent on caregivers for their well-being and those providing the support also face challenges, especially as the population ages and more people depend on supplementary care for daily tasks such as nutrition and hygiene.

The initial grant recipients included:

• Three Vanderbilt University faculty members, Drs. Sandra F. Simmons, John F. Schnelle and Anna N. Rahman, to write, publish and disseminate a guide titled, “How to Evaluate the Quality of Residential Care for Persons with Dementia,” which was intended for consumers.
• The Cole Neuroscience Center at The University of Tennessee Medical Center to allow patients to receive extended services not covered by traditional insurance, including individualized patient and family education provided by a registered nurse; connection to community resources and support groups provided by a social worker; and research interns to assist a physician in collecting, analyzing and interpreting patients’ cognitive test data.
• Family Caregiver Alliance for the creation of short videos to teach patients and loved ones real-life, practical methods to enhance the lives of all involved, such as bathing safety and other basic life skills, as well as ways a home can be modified to be safer. (Adam, the current website says to watch videos HERE, but it’s not linked. I think I found them and linked in content but need to verify those are correct ones.)
• Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Inc., for the purchase of a van to assist families and caregivers in transporting clients to day center services, caregiver training, support groups and other community activities.

Since that time, more than 30 organizations have earned grants from the Pat Summitt Foundation ranging from programs to help early-stage Alzheimer’s disease patients with coping skills to stress management for caregivers.

The 2022 Grant Recipients:

Alzheimer's Tennessee, Inc. - Heart Sing! Chorus

Hearts Sing! is a choral experience connecting people with dementia and caregivers and music with joyful purpose. Participation in the chorus is a meaningful way for individuals with a cognitive impairment and their care partners to engage in community life. Each 16 weekly session consists of weekly rehearsals, two community concerts and planned group social events. Hearts Sing! is the only chorus in Tennessee for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their care partners.

Caregiver Relief Program of Bedford County

The Caregiver Relief Program of Bedford County provides free support to families impacted by Alzheimer's Disease. During monthly visits to the homes, the program director provides emotional support, disease and caregiving education, referrals to outside resources and assistance in securing quality respite time. We are also certified to provide the national Music and Memory Program. Community education is addressed through speaking engagements, the Virtual Dementia Tour and Memory Screenings.

Concord United Methodist Church - Nourishment for the Mind, Body, and Soul

CADES will carry out a creatively designed program to address the triad of mind, body and soul with measurable positive impacts for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge - Reclaiming Relief

Through the grant, Keystone Adult Day Program will be able to offer a scholarship program that provides respite for caregivers who struggle to afford the cost of adult day programming. When inadequate resources preclude relief, the results are devastating for those living with dementia and their caregivers. Rising inflation along with collateral financial damage from the pandemic have increased the need for assistance, and Keystone is committed to providing access to relief for all caregivers.

Legal Aid of East Tennessee - Alzheimer's Legal Care Project ("ALCP")

Caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s Disease face vast challenges, not the least of which is establishing the legal relationship necessary to attend to the needs of their loved ones. Some may not have anyone available and are placed in nursing homes. This project will address the needs of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and their caregivers by assisting with establishing power of attorney or conservatorship to allow the caregiver to make decisions to ensure long-term quality of life.

Monroe County Senior Citizens and Friends - Memory Lane III: A Community-wide Effort to Support Individuals with Alzheimer's and their Families

Memory Lane, a project of the Monroe County Senior Center and a coalition of agencies, provides programming and support for individuals with Alzheimer's and their families. Over the past two years, Memory Lane successfully developed exercise and social activities for participants, as well as support groups, community learning programs, and a dementia-friendly church service. In its third year, Memory Lane III (ML3) will move out of the Senior Center into the broader Monroe community.

Our Place Company - Design for Dementia: Community Outreach and Enhanced Daily Care for Clients and Caregivers        

Our project expands direct and immediate Alzheimer's patient care and caregiver support at our new day-care facility. We intend to increase our participant base by providing community-based outreach and caregiver programs, with scholarships for qualified candidates. We will also increase the benefits of our educational program to all by enhancing our outdoor environment to include specific therapeutic elements and adding a new component, Virtual Reality, to our daily care plan.

Page-Robbins Adult Day Center - Activity Program Updates - Sunshine, Connection, Creativity, Movement, and Fun

Individuals with dementia who can remain physically and mentally engaged fare much better than those isolated at home. Our program provides engaging activities and opportunities for participants to be productive. The grant provides much-needed updates to our activities program, including outdoor fun, virtual connection, delicious food for the soul, opportunities for creative expression, and exercise for mental and physical wellness, so our participants can keep having their Best Days Ever!

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) - Minis In Motion & Reflections

The project has four parts:
 1) Subsidize visits of our miniature horses and donkeys to Alzheimer's and Memory Care facilities in Knox County and surrounding counties.
 2) Reflections: providing a "farm experience" for persons with Alzheimer's who are being cared for in the home by family or care providers.
 3) Subsidize a class for 34 weeks for one of our reflections participants in our Therapeutic Riding Program.
 4) Outreach and Advertising: getting out in the community and media exposure.

We Remember You

The primary purpose of We Remember You is to provide education and support to the primary/family caregivers of persons with dementia-causing diseases in Rutherford County, Tennessee. The secondary purpose is to offer education to the lay and professional community on topics such as the challenges of dementia caregiving, the disease process and progression of Alzheimer's/dementia, current issues of concern and advocacy related to the epidemic, and any other related topic.

West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation - Families First: Providing Resources, Support for Families Experiencing Alzheimer's/Other Dementias

The purpose of this project is to provide a year of planned activities for families of those who are diagnosed or with symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease and other Dementias, allowing them the opportunity to relive memories of the past and create new memories of the future. One year of activities includes monthly and quarterly events, special annual days, and family time to create positive time for all. The Alzheimer's Resource Center leads these efforts in the 18-county service area.