$3 million gift boosts eldercare and services for people with dementia

Services for elderly Hoosiers and those living with dementia in Southern Indiana are getting a long-term boost thanks to a gift from the Moore-Headley families and CarDon & Associates.

The $1.5 million gift creates an endowed fund providing sustained support for eldercare programs, services and resources with a focus on people living with dementia. The fund also will fuel workforce development in the field of eldercare. A matching gift by IU Health brings the donation’s impact to $3 million.

“For us, it’s personal,” said Stephen G. Moore, MD, a member of the CarDon board and a CarDon shareholder, who also serves on the IU Health Foundation board.

Founded in 1977 by Carroll and Donna Moore (hence the name: “Car” plus “Don”), CarDon owns and operates senior living facilities across Indiana, and several members of the Moore-Headley families carry on their parents’ professional legacy. In addition, the CarDon team and Moore-Headley families have been personally touched by Alzheimer’s and dementia, and they know first-hand the importance of people who are specially trained to care for older Hoosiers.

“I appreciate IU Health’s recognition that the caregivers and families need significant assistance and education, just as I did when learning to care for my mother,” said CarDon President and CEO Kent Rodgers.

Funds from the gift will help to support IU Health Bloomington Hospital’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Services (ADRS) program, which offers a range of programming designed to help both those who live with dementia and those who care for them. ADRS provides educational events for patients and families, support groups, advocacy initiatives, a resource library and more.

“The generosity of the Moore-Headley families and CarDon & Associates will allow us to build on this proven model to address additional age-related illnesses and conditions,” said IU Health South Central Region President Denzil Ross. He noted that population trends suggest that, by the end of this decade, approximately 25% of Hoosiers will be retirement age or older. Meanwhile, the state is facing a dramatic shortage of healthcare professionals, even as federal mandates require increased staffing levels.

To meet such challenges requires philanthropic support like that being given by CarDon and the Moore-Headley families, said IU Health Foundation President Crystal Miller, MA, FAHP, CFRE.

“Visionary philanthropists are vital to our ability to look beyond today, to think innovatively, to stretch further, to accelerate implementation, to take the risks the lead to breakthroughs,” Miller said. “IU Health is profoundly grateful to the Moore and Headley families and CarDon and Associates for their transformational approach in addressing the unique needs of the aging population and the nationwide shortage of people to care for them.”

In recognition of the gift, a space connecting two parts of IU Health Bloomington Hospital will be named The CarDon Connector.

To explore ways to support healthcare challenges affecting your family, visit IU Health Foundation.