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 disease / dementia. So, at 91 years old, Peggy decided to organize a group of volunteers to support caregivers and named it “Foothills Dementia /Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group”. As of December 2024, we have grown from 3 to more than 50 caregivers. 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. However, by teaming with other local organizations, however, we have gained meeting spaces, such as The Meeting Place in Columbus, NC, and Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Tryon, NC, for caregiver meetings. Additionally, we have provided caregivers with over twenty training events, through the support of numerous people and organizations, who 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 to offer assistance, such as our catered meal program, to caregivers.

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, to provide additional support for the caregivers and their loved ones.

Based on the area’s demographics, we anticipate that the need for support, of those caring for loved ones with cognitive issues, will continue to grow.  Our plan is to grow the organization to meet the need.