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

Caregiver Relief Program of Bedford County

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

First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge - Reclaiming Relief

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

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

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

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

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

We Remember You

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