Deborah, whose husband Mark attends Circle Center, recently shared their journey to Mark's Alzheimer's diagnosis and to Circle Center. Deborah has kindly given us permission to share their story to offer hope to others.

Mark retired from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2013, poised to enjoy his newfound free time. He loved going to classes at the Lifelong Learning Institute in Chesterfield, Virginia, particularly the exercise-related classes. In and between Mark’s new retirement activities, his wife Deborah began noticing behaviors of Mark’s that were concerning.

In May 2020, Deborah insisted Mark be evaluated and he was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy—a rare form of Alzheimer’s—as well as hydrocephalus dementia. As COVID was becoming a reality, Mark continued to enjoy Lifelong Learning Institute classes online, and Deborah, a professor at Longwood, began juggling more and more. Things were getting challenging. Thankfully, in November 2021, Mark, an Air Force veteran, began to receive support through the Veterans Health Administration, including weekly in-home and respite care. These began to help Deborah and Mark with the stressors of their new normal.

In October 2022, thanks to word-of-mouth from friends at church, Deborah and Mark found Circle Center. Deborah will tell you that for both of them, it has been a game-changer.