Our Story

A Family’s Story. A Community’s Mission.

The Ivey began with a daughter’s love for her parents—and a desire to make the journey of dementia less overwhelming for families.

In 2008, Lynn Ivey founded The Ivey as a tribute to her mother, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease, and her father, whose devoted caregiving helped Lynn understand how deeply dementia affects an entire family. Through her own family’s experience, Lynn recognized the need for a place where individuals could continue to experience meaningful days, connection, and purpose while their caregivers received support and time to recharge. What started as one family's experience translated into an understanding that a diagnosis affects more than one person, one family. Families need information, trusted guidance, practical resources, and the reassurance that they are not alone. Caregiver support and education are integral to our work. We strive to empower families with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and discover a path forward with greater confidence.

What started with one family's experience grew into a broader understanding that a diagnosis affects more than one person or one family. Families need information, trusted guidance, practical resources, and the reassurance that they are not alone. Caregiver support and education remain integral to our work. We strive to empower families with the knowledge and resources to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and discover a path forward with greater confidence.

Lynn's personal mission became something bigger: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate the challenges of cognitive change and neurodegenerative disease. The vision was to create a place where individuals could continue to find connection, purpose, and enjoyment in life, while their families found support, guidance, and peace of mind.

A Vision That Became a Community Resource

The Ivey has grown into a trusted resource for families throughout the Charlotte community. Since opening its doors in January 2008, The Ivey has drawn on more than 18 years of experience to help individuals and families navigate the challenges of cognitive change and neurodegenerative disease. 

A Place for Memory Wellness, Movement, and Brain Health

Today, The Ivey brings that vision to life through three complementary programs, each addressing a different aspect of living well with cognitive change and neurodegenerative disease. 

Afternoon Club provides a welcoming, engaging experience for adults living with early-stage memory loss. Through meaningful activities, movement, and social connection with peers who share similar experiences, members enjoy purposeful afternoons while family caregivers receive time to recharge and care for themselves. At a cost comparable to in-home care, Afternoon Club offers more than supervision or assistance: it provides opportunities for engagement, friendship, and belonging.

Parkinson’s Power offers a supportive, engaging program, at no cost to participants, focused on movement, balance, strength, confidence, and connection for individuals living with Parkinson's disease. Inspired by John Moore, the program reflects The Ivey's commitment to helping people remain active, capable, and connected while supporting the families who walk alongside them.

Brain Health Workshops offer free educational opportunities to the community, presented twice annually. Participants explore the science of brain health and learn to turn research into practical lifestyle habits involving exercise, nutrition, sleep, stress management, social connection, and lifelong learning that support healthy aging.

Together, these three programs reflect The Ivey's belief that people deserve opportunities to live well, remain connected, and find support at every stage of the journey. They are complementary, yet each serves a distinct need—from meaningful daily engagement, caregiver respite/education/support, to Parkinson's-specific programming and community-wide brain health education.

Our purpose-designed facility provides a distinctive setting for this work, with dedicated spaces for engagement, movement, learning, and connection. By bringing these services, expertise, and resources together in one place, under one roof, The Ivey offers individuals and families something increasingly valuable: a trusted destination for support throughout the journey of brain health and cognitive change.

A Nonprofit Mission Made Possible by Community

As a nonprofit organization, The Ivey exists to serve individuals and families—not to generate profits. Our purpose is to make meaningful programs, education, and support available to the people who need them.

Program fees cover only a portion of the true cost of delivering our services. In particular, the revenue generated by Afternoon Club does not cover the costs of providing our other programs. Charitable contributions from individuals, families, foundations, and community partners are essential to sustaining Parkinson's Power and Brain Health Workshops, expanding access, and making these valuable resources available to the broader community.

The generosity of our supporters helps sustain a unique community resource where memory wellness, Parkinson's support, and brain health education come together. From our purpose-designed facility to the expertise and programs delivered within it, your support helps make this comprehensive approach possible.

The Ivey began with one family's experience. Today, our community helps carry that mission forward.

Our Story Continues

Our roots are personal, but our mission reaches far beyond one family. The Ivey was built on love and shaped by experience. We remain committed to helping individuals live with greater connection and well-being, supporting the families who care for them, and empowering our community with knowledge about brain health and healthy aging.

The Ivey is more than a place. It is a community built around the belief that every person and every family deserves support, connection, and hope.

We invite you to be part of the story—as a family seeking support, a community partner, a volunteer, or a donor who believes every individual and family deserves the opportunity to thrive.