You Learn Something New Every Day as an Alzheimer's Caregiver

You learn something new almost every day when you are an Alzheimer's caregiver. This happens because there is so much to learn and you can't learn it all at once.

By +Bob DeMarco
+Alzheimer's Reading Room 

For me, part of the process of becoming an effective Alzheimer's caregiver occurred because I learned, over and over, that my mother, Dotty, was capable of more than I could imagine. She constantly surprised me by what she could do.

The first time I realized that Dotty was capable of more than I could imagine happened when I took her into the gym for the first time when she was 88 years old.Imagine, Dotty had never been in a gym in her life before we started exercising together.

I learned Dotty was capable of more when she started working out on the exercise machines. This first happened when Dotty jumped on an exercise machine and started doing a chest exercise. She did this oh her own while I was talking to someone.

Continue Reading

Unexpected but Delightful Insights from My Mom with Alzheimer’s

How terrible that someone's "mind would play tricks" on them, I thought. Your "mind" should be your friend; after all it's in your head and not someone else's. 

Elaine talks about life with her mother 

Alzheimer's, Dementia, and the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia

There is great confusion about the difference between “dementia” and “Alzheimer's disease.” The confusion is felt on the part of patients, family members, the media, and even healthcare providers.

What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

In a nutshell, dementia is a symptom, and Alzheimer's disease is the cause of the symptom. 

When someone is told they have dementia, it means that they have significant memory problems as well as other cognitive difficulties, and that these problems are severe enough to get in the way of daily living.

Continued on the Next Page

Alzheimer's World Brings Out the "We" In "You"

Alzheimer's Reading Room The Alzheimer's Reading Room is the number one source of life news for the entire Alzheimer's Community.   Alzheimer's World Brings Out the "We" In "You"   In Alzheimer's World I realized that Dotty was not quite as capable as she had been, not a different person, just not as capable of doing certain kinds of things that required a part of her brain that was now malfunctioning due to Alzheimer's disease.   Continue Reading

My Hospice Care Decision for Dotty

Let me start by saying that I had a crystal clear understanding of the types of care that Dotty wanted at the end of her life. We had these discussion more than 20 years prior to her death.

Dotty did not want to be resuscitated, put on an machines that prolonged her life for weeks or even days, and she did not want her life extended artificially.

I had an advance directive, and Power of Attorney, that gave me the legal power to make decisions concerning Dotty's end of life care. Or, for any care decision she could not make on her own. These documents were signed and executed well in advance. 

Dotty's clear wish was to die at home and she wanted Hospice and Palliative care.

Jump to the Alzheimer's Reading Room for the complete story