Father Has Dementia - College?

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My father was diagnosed with dementia today. It’s not going to ever get better, and it will probably get gradually worse. I don’t have all the details right now. Right now, he never knows the date, can’t do simple math problems, and he can’t even always tell my mom the names of his three children. He’s been encouraged to shut down his practice, and he’s the source of essentially all our income right now.

I’m 19 and just started my first year of college. I chose a community college because I knew something like this could hit us at any time. I didn’t know it was dementia, but I knew something was wrong. My plans had been to become an optometrist, and I ended my freshman year with a 3.85 GPA. I don’t think I can keep that GPA up if I’m working the amount of time that I need to pay my way through college.

I’m going to be looking through a lot of things on my own, but can anybody point me in the right direction as far as financial aid? I know I can take out some loans, but if I do that, my student debt is going to be brutal (think six figures) by the time I get out of optometry school (if I’m even able to continue this route with the recent news).

Thanks for any input. And any non-financial advice is welcome as well.

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“Save Your Brain” by Dr. Michale Colgan, get it, read it. It may help your grandfather to a small degree, but the damage has already set it. If anything implement it yourself to avoid this disease.

You may only be able to find the book on his site.

Also google coconut oil and Alzheimer’s, some interesting info coming out lately about it. Again, for you and him.

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Hey mate,

I cant help with your financial advice as I am in a different country etc. But i wish you the best of luck.
Jehovasfitness may have to correct me, but maybe you should also look into turmeric/curcumin aswell to help for prevention of the disease yourself.

Regards

Bird.

tweet

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Plenty of people have had high GPAs while paying for their own school. Nut up and quit relying on daddy to pay for everything.

Go part time until you graduate if you have to.

8 hours a semester will put you at 24 earned credits a year if you go all throughout the year incliding summer.

it might seem like an impossible situation now but you can get this done man.

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[quote]Eielson wrote:
My father was diagnosed with dementia today. It’s not going to ever get better, and it will probably get gradually worse. I don’t have all the details right now. Right now, he never knows the date, can’t do simple math problems, and he can’t even always tell my mom the names of his three children. He’s been encouraged to shut down his practice, and he’s the source of essentially all our income right now.

I’m 19 and just started my first year of college. I chose a community college because I knew something like this could hit us at any time. I didn’t know it was dementia, but I knew something was wrong. My plans had been to become an optometrist, and I ended my freshman year with a 3.85 GPA. I don’t think I can keep that GPA up if I’m working the amount of time that I need to pay my way through college.

I’m going to be looking through a lot of things on my own, but can anybody point me in the right direction as far as financial aid? I know I can take out some loans, but if I do that, my student debt is going to be brutal (think six figures) by the time I get out of optometry school (if I’m even able to continue this route with the recent news).

Thanks for any input. And any non-financial advice is welcome as well.[/quote]

Have you filled out a fafsa form?
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

There are thousands and thousands of dollars of money in scholarships out there. Apply for them like it is your job. Because they pay. Keep your grades high also. Think of grades this way anything less than an A is a failure and unacceptable.

There are subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans that your qualify for through fafsa.

Pell grants are pretty easy to get also.

And remember to claim your education credits on your taxes(or parents).

FYI If you’re planning on med, law, or any other expensive ass advanced degree your probably going to be buried in debt unless your family is rich.

Working through school is good to a certain level. It may offset some of your costs, but the faster you graduate the less you pay and less time you waste.

Does your dad not have some type of insurance for his abilities? How much is the practice worth?

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Thanks for the ideas so far. I’ll definitely be looking into that book and a supplement or two. He’s taken about a million different kinds of supplements, but I’m sure we could drop a few of them and sneak another one in. I’m sure it doesn’t stand much of a chance, but it’s definitely worth a shot.

As far as the financial stuff, yes I applied for the FAFSA last year. I got a little bit, but I’m sure I’ll be getting more in the coming years as my dad starts bringing in less and less money and costing more and more. I guess this situation will open the door to apply for need-based scholarships, and this whole story with my dad might make my applications look better.

I guess I know better than to post things on the internet that are dear to my heart, but this really isn’t the time to tell somebody to just “nut up” and pretend like they’re a little sorority girl. My dad wasn’t paying for everything. I got a few hundred a month from my family, so essentially I was getting 3 or 4 thousand a year from them. I guess this isn’t truly going to make or break me. I was pretty emotional yesterday, and I probably overreacted to the financial side. It is another couple hundred a month I have to find a way to make up, though, and this is on top of the 12 hours I’m required in school to fulfill my scholarship, the 8 hours I’m already planning on working (sweet job that gives a few bucks an hour, but covers meals), and the few hours a week I spend doing something on the side that made me $1000 last semester and should make me even more now that I know better how to do it.

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Wow

If that’s all you got from my reply I think you may actually need to nut up.

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Sorry to hear about your father.

If you want it you will do it no matter how you can.

Good luck.

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Sorry to hear about your father.

I can’t comment on your fathers health, but for you I hope my own experience might give you some hope.

When I started college the family business went bad. The only way to save my parents house was to drop-out and get a job as money was needed quick. I got a full-time job, 2xPart-time jobs and studied as well. The result was I ended up just as qualified as college, but with many years experience and having earned a paycheck rather than a student loan. I was already working internationally before I was 20.

For me it all worked out okay and my point is that things can still turn out okay for you. Just do not give up. You can achieve your dreams and do right by your family.

Dementia is a terrible disease and the stress on the family can be immense. I would find other places to study to allow you to focus. Make sure every member of the family gets a break at least once a week, especially your mum.

‘Life is what happens while your busy making other plans’ John Lennon

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[quote]Ct. Rockula wrote:
Plenty of people have had high GPAs while paying for their own school. Nut up and quit relying on daddy to pay for everything.
[/quote]

He’s told you his dad is suffering from worsening dementia. I don’t think he’ll be relying on daddy for anything now. Get it?

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there are websites that list private scholarships you can apply for. Some of them you can write an essay to apply for it. I got some money almost every year from stuff like that.

Check with your dads employer to see what they can do. Reasonable accommodations must be made to make work possible. I dont know if anything could, but you may want to give it a try to keep him not only earning but busy and hopefully stimulating his mind.
If he is unable to work, get everything you can out of SS disability. think about a lawyer to help.

a little unsolicited thought - avoid loans by any means possible. friends of mine have 6 figure student loans and their payments are higher than my mortgage. they are having some tough times, even with good jobs. even if it takes you a year or 2 longer, it is worth it.

also, ignore count, he is a fucktard.

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[quote]Da Man reloaded wrote:
there are websites that list private scholarships you can apply for. Some of them you can write an essay to apply for it. I got some money almost every year from stuff like that.[/quote]

This is good advice. I’ve looked into a few today, and it looks promising. It’s crazy how much easier it is to answer “What would this scholarship mean to you?” now. My view on the merit-based vs. need-based debate was completely changed overnight.

[quote]Check with your dads employer to see what they can do. Reasonable accommodations must be made to make work possible. I dont know if anything could, but you may want to give it a try to keep him not only earning but busy and hopefully stimulating his mind.
If he is unable to work, get everything you can out of SS disability. think about a lawyer to help.[/quote]

My dad is self-employed, so we pretty much set what he does. We’ve gotten his staff more and more involved over the last couple years, though. Thanks for the idea about a lawyer.

Yeah, I would hate to have pay off that kind of student debt. I’m comfortable taking an extra year or two, but that would also mean I have to spend an extra year’s worth of money on rent/food/gas/etc, and delay my starting of work.

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[quote]Ct. Rockula wrote:
Wow

If that’s all you got from my reply I think you may actually need to nut up.[/quote]
You’re probably trying to mess with him, but you shouldn’t tell a person with a sick father to “nut up”. I can guarantee that you have not been through the same struggles as he has.

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[quote]vali wrote:

[quote]Ct. Rockula wrote:
Wow

If that’s all you got from my reply I think you may actually need to nut up.[/quote]
You’re probably trying to mess with him, but you shouldn’t tell a person with a sick father to “nut up”. I can guarantee that you have not been through the same struggles as he has.[/quote]

Seriously, dude.

Hey man, I’m really sorry to hear about your dad. A suggestion for money: look into donating plasma, sperm, blood, etc. Where I go to school, there’s a plasma donating center very close by: I go twice a week (the max allowed), or 8 times a month. They pay $60 a week if you go twice, or $240 a month, and they usually have specials where if you to 7 times in 1 month, they’ll pay you an extra $40 bucks, so I can make up to $280 a month just from this.

Each session takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on wait times. It really doesn’t hurt much and it’s well worth it: I pretty much use this to buy me food for the month and have a little extra. Look into it. If I think of anything else I’ll let you know. Wish you the best.

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[quote]Eielson wrote:

[quote]Da Man reloaded wrote:
there are websites that list private scholarships you can apply for. Some of them you can write an essay to apply for it. I got some money almost every year from stuff like that.[/quote]

This is good advice. I’ve looked into a few today, and it looks promising. It’s crazy how much easier it is to answer “What would this scholarship mean to you?” now. My view on the merit-based vs. need-based debate was completely changed overnight.

[quote]Check with your dads employer to see what they can do. Reasonable accommodations must be made to make work possible. I dont know if anything could, but you may want to give it a try to keep him not only earning but busy and hopefully stimulating his mind.
If he is unable to work, get everything you can out of SS disability. think about a lawyer to help.[/quote]

My dad is self-employed, so we pretty much set what he does. We’ve gotten his staff more and more involved over the last couple years, though. Thanks for the idea about a lawyer.

Yeah, I would hate to have pay off that kind of student debt. I’m comfortable taking an extra year or two, but that would also mean I have to spend an extra year’s worth of money on rent/food/gas/etc, and delay my starting of work.[/quote]

glad I could be of service. Since your dad is self employed, he has paid his share of SS.

I completely understand on the loan thing. I dont know how much optomitrists are looking at salary wise. If you are going to walk into 6 figures right out of school, that completely changes everything. If that is the case, I would move back in with your parents for a year or 2, possibly get a weekend job, live like a pauper and shove every penny you have into paying the loans back. In the end, it is what makes the most sense financially. You have to weigh income vs debt, job outlook and your sanity. Good luck, I hope it works out in your favor.

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I know it’s a while off from now, but obviously you can look into md phd programs this way you can get funded throughout grad school the way a traditional phd student would