What would you do if your brain started glitching like an outdated computer? If the world around you started to look different and stopped making sense? Dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is startling and scary. We don’t know what causes it or why, and we don’t know how to fix it. The unknown is always a source of anxiety.
This blog records my journey as primary caregiver to my parents, both of whom were diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s in 2014 and 2015 respectively. My mother has since passed, my father carries on. It has been an incredible journey; I jumped into the role with no knowledge or training. I knew it would be tough, but I didn’t expect to feel so helpless or so overwhelmed.
Being an Alzheimer’s caregiver is both gratifying and challenging. It’s an opportunity to connect with someone soulfully, it’s a beautiful act of love, it’s a challenge that leaves you either crying or laughing on most days. It doesn’t have to be dark, or dreadful, or full of despair, although it can be all of those things briefly.
The caregiving experience has taught me so much about my brave parents, about myself, and about a world of heroes who have opened their hearts and taken on this task, or who are struggling with cognitive disorders themselves. This blog is to share the lessons I’ve learned, tell the stories that beg to be told, and inspire all caregivers to stay positive and keep on giving…
Let’s be more aware, more informed, and more positive.
Unforgettable 