Woman balances work and mother’s dementia care in Louisiana
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Angela Davis of New Orleans, 65, provides full-time care for her 87-year-old mother, who was diagnosed with dementia in February 2024.
Davis noticed behavioral changes in her mother several years ago, including getting lost and making false accusations. After a brief and unsuccessful stay in a care facility, which required an additional $2,000 monthly payment Davis was unwilling to make. Davis brought her mother home, where she remains.
Davis manages her mother’s care alongside her own work and responsibilities, including managing over a dozen rental properties. She previously worked as a clinical social worker and continues to work partly for her mental health and to have a break from caregiving. The monthly cost of her mother’s at-home care exceeds $7,000, with Davis covering 40% of the expenses.
Despite the challenges, Davis prioritizes her own well-being by taking occasional trips and modeling caregiving for her son, who lives in New York and assists when he can. Her mother’s condition is worsening, causing difficulties with eating, sleeping, and remembering recent events, and requiring Davis to sleep on a loveseat to monitor her throughout the night. Davis states she has made clear her own wishes not to receive this level of care herself.
