Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) The Pat Summitt Foundation is expected to rollout a new nationwide program in honor of the Lady VFL’s 72nd birthday.
Created by the foundation with help from the University of Tennessee Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Pat’s Gameplan, aims to provide resources to those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
The goal is for it to be a one-stop resource that gives insight from Summitt’s own doctor: Dr. Ron Petersen of the Mayo Clinic.
“June’s just a big month, her birthday. It’s also Brain Health Awareness Month, so it gives us an opportunity to talk more about the disease while remembering Coach Summit and the impact that she had, not just in college basketball, but in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” Director of Strategic Initiatives and Advancement for the Pat Summit Foundation Morgan Vance said.
The program will include topics like legal planning and financial advice, along with a “share my story” section from everyday caregivers. Looking ahead, the foundation is expected to add topics like nutrition advice.
More than 11 million Americans serve as primary caregivers for someone facing Alzheimer’s or dementia. The foundation said the lack of support for those caregivers can create stress and make caring for those loved ones hard.
“When Pat started the foundation, that was one of her main goals,” Vance said. “She said ‘I want us to take care of the caregivers.’ I was talking to a provider not too long ago who said ‘I’m so glad that you all are tackling this, because the amount of caregivers I get in our office that have so many questions, but they don’t have the legal documents in place for us to actually help them.’”
The plan is expected to be released Friday.
