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Families can spend tens of thousands of dollars in providing in-home care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

The disease is the most common type of dementia and those afflicted with it can experience complete memory loss in its advanced stage. It is estimated that over 5 million people in the United States have the disease and that number is expected to triple over the next 30 years. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the country according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

City Councilman Jonathan Way solves complex problems, works to preserve the city’s history, and is the “face of the city” in several regional commissions which have important impacts on the city.

Manassas City Councilman Jonathan Way could have chosen anywhere to retire, but he chose Manassas. To him, he said, the city offered the opportunity to accomplish all the things he hoped to accomplish and Manassas just had that comfortable “hometown” feel.

LaVerne Leven-Berry worked in the carpet business her husband owned for 40 years. The business closed after her husband passed away in 2010 from lung cancer and LaVerne struggled to maintain what she had. Shortly after his death, doctors discovered that LaVerne also had lung cancer and removed a portion of her lung. Not one to be defeated, LaVerne fought back to health. She now works as a home health aide, caring for two individuals.

LaVerne and her husband bought their Woodbridge home 38 years ago. She raised two sons in the home and now watches three of her grandchildren in the mornings. LaVerne manages to work more than 50 hours a week in the healthcare business and still keep an impeccably neat and tidy home and lawn. She feels that keeping the home properly is an important legacy to the tireless energy and effort her husband made. She’s grateful for his pursuit to purchase the home and maintain it all those years.

Dee Vanterpool moved to her Manassas townhouse in 1992. A quaint townhouse facing the community pool, it is well-kept and Dee is content there. Dee retired from the Federal Government where she had worked at the Pentagon in Logistics as a General Supply Specialist. Today she lives quietly, enjoying her church in Burke, Virginia, playing Solitaire, watching Christian TV and walking at the mall. Her son lives in New Jersey. Her daughter and sisters all passed away in the last five years. Dee has suffered from arthritis since childhood and has experienced significant illnesses in her adult life so she could use Habitat’s assistance to correct some minor home issues.

Habitat for Humanity will relocate a bathroom vent that discharges improperly into the attic, rebuild a fence gate and strengthen its posts and paint the exterior trim on the front entry door. We’re looking forward to giving this deserving resident a hand up with home preservation services that will make her home safer and more secure.