Our founder, Peggy Wyllie, while helping a friend in 2022 look for help, discovered that there were no organizations in Polk County, NC and the surrounding foothills area that offered support for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia disease. So, at 91 years old, she decided to organize a group of volunteers to support these Caregiver’s and named it “Foothills Dementia /Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group”. Since then, we have grown from (3) to more than (50) Caregivers as of December 2024. Our new name “Caregiver Connections” was introduced mid-2024.

Our mission remains the same as Peggy first envisioned:  To provide a safe environment while forming connections with Caregivers “in the same boat” to achieve a robust network of mutual support; and to provide guidance, practical advice, and information regarding available resources in our surrounding communities.

We remain an all-volunteer non-profit organization with limited resources of our own. By teaming with other local organizations, however, we have gained meeting spaces such as White Oak Manor for Board Meetings, The Meeting Place in Columbus, North Carolina, and Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Tryon, North Carolina for Caregiver meetings. Additionally, we have provided caregivers with over 20 training events through the support of numerous people and organizations that have graciously volunteered their time.  Generous funding support from private citizens, AARP, and local organizations, such as Rotary Club, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, White Oak Manor all of Tryon, NC, has not only allowed us to cover business expenses but also offer assistance to the Caregivers (our Catered meal program is but one example).

While “Caregiver Connections’ ” focus is on Caregivers, we have teamed with other programs that focus on loved ones such as the EASE program at FENCE. We continue to look for new opportunities, such as Respite Care and “Memory Cafe’s”, to provide additional support for the Caregiver and loved ones.

As we look to future, based on the area’s demographics, we anticipate the need for support of those caring for loved ones with cognitive issue will continue to grow.  Our plan is to grow the organization to meet the need.