2022 Award Recipient
HaileyRichman
Project Kid Caregivers
Project Kid Caregivers
Channeling her special relationship with her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s disease, Hailey created Kid Caregivers to fill the vacuum of resources for youth who care for those with Alzheimer’s. While 1.8 million youth in the U.S. serve as caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, resources for them were lacking. Kid Caregivers’ “Puzzle Time” initiative pairs young people with Alzheimer’s patients for shared puzzle-solving and other activities, which boosts mood and short-term memory.
Through an online youth support forum, Kid Caregivers is changing the way young people care for those with Alzheimer’s. Reaching all 50 states and nine countries, more than 2,000 young people have participated in programs in 5,000 memory care facilities, impacting more than 100,000 patients. Tens of thousands of individuals have tuned into Kid Caregivers’ peer-to-peer support blog for advice on coping and bonding with fellow young caregivers.
Discovering a need to provide support for the young people who care for people with Alzheimer’s disease, Hailey created the nonprofit organization Kid Caregivers with two goals in mind: providing a peer-to-peer support forum for youth acting as caregivers, and connecting young caregivers with Alzheimer’s patients through shared puzzle solving. As a result, young people feel the support of a community of peers when caring for those with Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s patients receive a boost to their short-term memory and mood through shared activities.
