Gift link
7 Likes
Ugh, my dear friend at 62 is definitely suffering greatly from Alzheimer’s. While I appreciate the author’s optimistic outlook, I pray I don’t get this horrible disease. 
8 Likes
For sure, no one would wish that fate, ever! And as stressed in the article, the author and his mother had financial resources that many do not. But it was some comfort to see a positive side. My stepmother was plagued with great anxiety (bordering on paranoia) and depression which melted away with her abilities. There is no doubt that my father’s ability to pay for round-the-clock caregivers made it all possible. Before that, he often had to leave the house to walk a couple of miles because “she drives me crazy!”
1 Like
As always the comments are at least as good as the article itself.
1 Like
I spent an inordinate amount of time reading the Reader Picks comments. Yep, this guy seems to have financial resources that a lot of people don’t.
He says so up front, mid way and at the end. Most if us here do too.
1 Like
My mom had dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, but I can’t remember if she was ever given an official diagnosis. My dad had vascular dementia and some other health issues which meant he had to be in a nursing home in my hometown. The facilities there were pretty mid. My mom couldn’t care for him at home, but she spent pretty much every day at the nursing home advocating for him. Her health declined since she was so busy taking care of him that she neglected herself. Then after his death we moved her into a much nicer CCRC near my brother and me (he and I live in the same area about 1.5 hrs away from our home town). My mom spent 3 years there before she died, one in independent living, one in assisted, and one in the nursing home. Unfortunately the dementia made her very anxious. I think she missed her hometown and her friends too, but she did appreciate the great care she got there at the CCRC (it was just fantastic).
I hope if I get dementia I will get the kind like this other little old lady had there at the CCRC. She was in a wheelchair, but she just sang all day and was happy as could be. Always had a big smile on her face and was singing a happy song.
2 Likes
What I’ve found in my family is that Alzheimer’s presents differently based on personalities. My dad could be mean, he was always accusing us of abusing him, not telling him things, scared his landscapers a lot with his screaming (he wasn’t like this before, but he wasn’t the easiest guy). His sister has it now, she is so sweet and childlike, laughs all of the time. They are very well off buy her husband won’t let anyone help. They spend more time in palm beach than Long Island now, with no other family near by. I’m afraid he’s going to burn out, so are his children. My dad’s cousin has it too, as did her mom. Lucky me, I have the gene.
5 Likes
This piece romanticizes what is a very ugly disease that is hard on the the person with the disease and even harder on their caregivers.
5 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.