Wanda Braverman

Until just a few years ago, Wanda Braverman was a vibrant, warm, and formidable woman – a true New Yorker through and through. She found joy in everyday moments: strolling through Central Park, attending Broadway matinees, chatting with strangers over coffee. She was always doing something – exploring the city, helping a friend, or making someone laugh.

But five years ago, Wanda was in a devastating accident involving a New Jersey state dump truck. The trauma from the accident marked the beginning of a heartbreaking decline, accelerating the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia.

At first, it was the little things – forgetting where she put her glasses or her phone. Then came the moment she got lost and couldn’t find her way home. About three years after the accident, Alzheimer’s had taken hold, slowly chipping away at Wanda’s memory, her sense of time, and her independence.

In the past few years, Wanda has been escorted home by police multiple times. Eventually, she was placed in the memory care unit of a nursing home. The experience was disorienting and traumatic. Isolated and confused, Wanda began to lose her grip on reality so severely that she no longer recognized her own name.

We – her lifelong friends and chosen family – knew she deserved better. With great effort, we were able to bring Wanda home, where she now lives in her apartment with the help of a Medicaid-covered home health aide. However, Medicaid only provides 40 hours of care per week – just 5 to 6 hours a day – far short of what she truly needs to stay safe, healthy, and grounded.

The only alternative Medicaid covers is full-time nursing home care. But at just 66 years old, Wanda doesn’t belong in an institution. We believe she deserves to age with dignity, in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by the people and memories that still connect her to the life she built.

To keep Wanda at home, we need your help.

Hiring a live-in aide to provide full-time care costs around $300–$350 per day – nearly $9,000 a month. Our goal is to raise enough to support Wanda for the next 18 to 24 months, giving her a fighting chance to stay out of the nursing home and maintain the quality of life she deserves.

Wanda has always shown up for the people she loves. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.

Would you consider making a donation? Whether it’s $25, $50, $100, or whatever amount you feel moved to give, every dollar makes a meaningful impact.

To donate online and learn more, visit: Help Hope Live for Wanda. We are working with Help Hope Live, a reputable nonprofit that verifies all fundraising campaigns. They require doctor’s confirmation and documentation to ensure full transparency and protect against fraud. Donations to Help Hope Live in honor of a client are tax deductible. 

Thank you for taking the time to read Wanda’s story. Your generosity and compassion mean the world.