Seeking Young Onset ALZ Companion in Central Oregon

glenc

Hello All - I realize this is a longshot, but you never know…

My wife and I are interested in finding a compatible 'earlier-stage' YOD friend and neighbor for her, who is in a similar situation in the Central Oregon area. We live in Bend. Through my Lorenzo's House community, she has met a great new friend to talk to on occasion, but they are on opposite sides of the country. They enjoy their conversations so much that it has me searching for a similar in-person companion.

My DW was first diagnosed with lvPPA in 2024, which transitioned to ALZ in Feb 2026. She is 56 years young, in the earlier stages and is still very much herself, although her challenges are preventing her from working. She still runs, goes to the gym, walks the dog and enjoys time with friends. She was always the life of the party. The caring, vibrant and positive one that everyone enjoyed being around. The one who organized and hosted the dinner parties to get everyone together. With this diagnosis, things are slowly changing. She's less outgoing and has trouble filling her day while I'm still trying to work from home (although she wouldn't admit this). It's killing me inside seeing this change in her day-to-day life. We have a good friend group, but everyone has their own lives to live and their own families to think about, which doesn't seem to leave much time for support.

Regardless, here I am. Throwing out a hail mary pass because there is very little to no YOD-specific support in Central Oregon. Thanks in advance to all of you out there managing this unfortunate situation we find ourselves in. 🙏🤞

Sincerely,

Glen

Samuel108

Hi! My name is Samuel, and I came across your post while searching for connections for my aunt, who is 55 and was diagnosed with younger-onset dementia earlier this year.

Your post really resonated with me because we're looking for exactly the same thing! She lives in the Chicagoland suburbs and has been struggling to find others around her age who are going through similar experiences.

I know you're hoping to find someone local for your wife, which we completely understand, but I thought I'd reach out since they're so close in age. My aunt would love to build friendships with others experiencing younger-onset dementia and is very open to virtual connections.

Would your wife possibly be interested in connecting with her? I also appreciate you mentioning Lorenzo's House, as we're still exploring resources!

Wishing you both the best!