
Yvette Nicole Brown took on the heroic role of becoming a caretaker more than a decade ago. The actress has been taking care of her father with Alzheimerโs for the past eleven years but recently made the difficult decision to move her dad into a board and care home.
About 12 years ago, the 53-year-old moved her dad from Ohio to California to live with her after noticing he was a little off during their calls. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Alzheimerโs, a degenerative brain disease that is also a form of dementia and impacts memory, thinking, and behavior and can become detrimental. The disease also disproportionately affects Black people.
โThere was that moment of like, wow, Iโm going to have my dad living with me for the first time, and itโs when heโs not capable of fully even experiencing this the way that I will be experiencing it,โ Brown told PEOPLE of having her father come live with her. She was also excited about the opportunity because she mostly spent time with her mom after her parents divorced, so she looked forward to quality time with her father.
โDementia is weird in that at some point they sort of lose their sense of self and they no longer are the person that they used to be. So with my dad, thereโs some days where heโs 100% there and thereโs some days where heโs not.โ
The Community actress continued, โBut it was the easiest decision I made because in my mind, he taught me so much. How can I not step up and be there for him in his moment of need? My dad comes first,โ Brown added. The devoted daughter also asked to be released from her contract for Community at the time because she couldnโt manage 16-hour days on set and properly care for him.
In terms of how her dad transitioned into a board and care facility, a few months back he had a bad fall and broke his hip. Consequently, he needed surgery and rehabilitation but can no longer walk.
โHeโs now at a place where he canโt be with me in the house anymore because he no longer walks. So now itโs shifted to me stepping into less of a daily caregiver role and more of just his daughter โ I have not been able to be just his daughter in 11 years,โ she shared.
โReleasing him to the care of other people was a very difficult thing to do and a very heartbreaking guilt-ridden choice to make. But the goal was to get the best care for him and thatโs no longer me.โ Brown also said she visits the assisted living facility several times a week to be by his side.
Throughout the decade-plus of playing a caregiver role, Brown faced a myriad of challenges, especially as it relates to navigating the healthcare system.
โThe red tape you have to jump through just to get basic care for your loved one is shocking,โ she said. โI had to fight for his physical therapy. I had to fight for his wheelchair. I went through two or three appeals processes where he was going to be discharged from his nursing care facility before he was ready.







โI shouldnโt have to fight this hard,โ Brown continued. โYou can have the means to take care of them, but there are certain things they just still wonโt give you. And I donโt understand why itโs this hard to make sure that people in need can have what they need and what theyโve been paying for.โ
The challenges have ignited a new fire in Brown and sheโs ready to advocate for other caregivers around the country through her podcast, Squeezed.
โIf thereโs any silver lining to everything Iโve been through with my dad, I am now equipped to fight for every other family caregiver in this country because I have walked the gauntlet and I donโt want anyone to have to go through what I went through,โ she said.