AT AGE 86, MY FATHER TOOK his first and only commercial airplane flight. His wife died three years earlier from congestive heart failure. He found solace in the basement tinkering with electronic and mechanical parts. He was Mr. Fix It – a member of the Greatest Generation who could and would repair anything. When he felt hungry, he’d go upstairs to […]
Throughout our lives, we each perform a variety of different roles. For me, I have been a daughter, sister, student, sales clerk, secretary, coach, and a writer. The one role I thought I would never assume is now the main focus of my life – caregiver.
Caring for a person with a debilitating illness is often challenging. It becomes all the more difficult when the person is in the throes of Alzheimer’s disease. Those affected can display mood swings, repeat words in a constant patter or show a complete lack of communication, have aggressive or docile behavior, and show recognition of […]
The term “nursing home” has become generic over the years, and it is used to define all facilities from a rest home to an acute care hospital. The truth is that this muddled meaning can be confusing to those caregivers trying to decide on a facility for their loved one.
Since the person with AD no longer possesses the mental skills to be completely independent, a special brand of leadership is called for. At least one person must assume overall authority for ensuring the well-being of the person with AD but it is best to include others too if at all possible. Much work is […]
