Written by Chad Birt on Fri Feb 16 2024.
Caregiver: Sara Mason
She’s caring for: Her grandma, Delphine
Winner of: The Family Caregiver Hero Award
Sara Mason has provided full-time care for her grandma, Delphine, since May of 2022. Delphine is in stage six of Alzheimer’s disease and needs help eating, bathing, and managing her medications. These responsibilities take significant time and effort, but Mason says she strives to provide the same type of care that her Grandma always gave her.
“[My grandma] is the most amazing human being I’ve ever met. She took care of everyone around her, and she took me in and raised me from the time I was 13 because I had a rocky home life. We’re like best friends.”
Mason left her career as an emergency room technician to become a full-time caregiver. This decision had a significant impact on the family’s finances, but Mason was determined to make it work.
Five years ago, when Delphine was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Mason began laying the groundwork for the present. “I wanted a backup plan with a job that [grandma] could go on with me,” she says. “So, we deliver flowers. We put flower arrangements together and I filled her yard with flowers. I call it the flower cottage. Even though she lives with my husband and me, her house is 10 minutes away, and we made about 700 deliveries this past summer.”
Not only does the flower business provide an income, but it’s also allowed Mason and Delphine to bond. “It’s just been a wonderful thing,” Mason says. “And I know that the most rewarding thing is that I’m making memories with her. She may not remember them, but it’s there.”
The family flower business has made caregiving easier, but it’s also inspired Mason to pursue memory care advocacy. She’s currently enrolled in the American Peony Society’s Mentorship Program and hopes to use the skills she learns there to eventually plant memory gardens throughout Northwest Indiana.
We believe that caregiver stories empower others and highlight the selfless work that caregivers do. If you want to share your story, contact our Care Team. Call (800) 696-CARE or send an email to support@carewell.com.
Since day one, we’ve strived to build a community that supports and recognizes the millions of family caregivers who selflessly provide care for their friends, family, and community members. We launched the Carewell Caregiver Awards in 2023 to bolster these efforts, and to share some of the inspiring stories of love and commitment we so often hear about.
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Andre’s Dad, Samuel, was diagnosed with dementia about seven years ago. Shortly after, Andre retired early from a career he loved to serve as a full time caregiver. He says it was a tough choice that significantly impacted his family, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Read More >Chad Birt is a freelance medical writer who resides in Astoria, Oregon. When he isn't behind a keyboard, you can find him hiking, camping, or birdwatching with his wife Ella and their two dogs, Diane and Thoreau.