Karen Sandone’s Story: Caregiving, Advocacy, and Purpose
Karen Sandone is a wife, mother, professional, caregiver, and advocate for families affected by younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Her husband, Anthony Sandone, was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s at age 55. For Karen, the first major signs appeared during COVID, when Anthony struggled to learn a new technology module for work. She also noticed short-term memory loss, trouble finding words, and difficulty finishing sentences. By the summer of 2022, the changes became harder to ignore. Anthony could no longer read the GPS while driving. He began misplacing his phone and wallet, struggled with emails and presentations, and sometimes got lost driving to familiar places.
Karen began sharing their story on social media and grew their online community. In the recent Global Women’s Health Forum 2026 in May, Karen was honored by The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic. Maria Shriver presented her the Caregiving Award for her dedication to supporting families living with dementia. Shriver, who discovered Karen through her social media advocacy, started following her and became invested in her story.
What Is Younger-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease?
Younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease is Alzheimer’s that begins before age 65. It can be especially challenging because many people are still working, raising families, or managing major life responsibilities when symptoms begin.
From Caregiver to Advocate
Karen turned her family’s experience into a mission to help others. She co-founded Surviving the Now, a support community for caregivers of people with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. The group helps caregivers feel less alone as they face the emotional, financial, and daily challenges of the disease.
She also co-founded Sandone Strong with her children to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research. In addition, Karen serves as a Committee Leader for the Alzheimer’s Association in the Delaware Valley. She is also a Congressional Advocate for the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement.
Why Her Story Matters
Karen’s story reflects what many caregivers experience every day. The early signs are not always obvious at first. Someone might think it is just stress from having a new boss at work, or maybe distraction from planning a family trip while also managing all the housework. They may notice changes in the daily routine but not find anything suspicious about them. But when the boss is no longer new and the family trip is over, the signs may still continue. Over time, those changes can begin to affect safety, communication, independence, and daily life.
Her recognition helps bring attention to caregiving as more than a private family responsibility. It is also a public health issue that needs awareness, research, funding, and stronger support for families.
Karen’s journey reminds caregivers to trust what they notice. Memory changes, confusion, word-finding trouble, misplaced items, difficulty with work tasks, or getting lost in familiar places should be taken seriously.
Caregivers should write down changes and speak up early. It’s important to ask for help early on. Karen Sandone’s story shows that even in a difficult diagnosis, caregivers can raise awareness and help others feel less alone.
Follow Karen Sandone’s story and support her caregiving journey.
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