6 months ago today my family spent the day at my dad’s bedside… We held his hand. We talked to him. We told him what an amazing husband, dad and grandfather he was… We told him it was ok to let go. That we would be ok. That we’d take care of...
We went to an amazing wedding last week. I was a little nervous because at the last wedding I went to I spontaneously burst into tears during the father / daughter dance. I hadn’t expected it at all and ran fleeing like Cinderella at midnight to compose myself...
One day, it is over. No more care choices to make, no more changes to adjust to, no more grieving the living while doing your best to stay connected at the same time. No more wondering how long the journey will last, how and when it will end. One day, your loved one...
Late Tuesday night, August 2, 2016, my dad’s Alzheimer’s Journey came to an end. What do you say about losing a parent so slowly, and then at the actual passing? So many things about his physical departure from our life was perfect: His whole family was...
If we witnessed the peace and tranquility that is given in the hours before death, we would be less afraid. – Jennifer Worth. I’m currently reading In the Midst of Life* by Jennifer Worth, a retired nurse and author. She shares her experience with the...
Once someone goes into a Memory Care Home when they have dementia or Alzheimer’s they rarely return home. This video is another in our “I Remember When…” series. It tells the story of why my mom made the decision to bring my dad, George Reed,...
In the end of May I had a great conversation with Tryn Rose Seley, musician, singer and author of 15 Minutes of Fame: One Photo Does Wonders. We talked about music and how it can be used to help both people with dementia or Alzheimer’s as well as family members...
As our loved ones age, we begin to worry more about their safety. If a loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s, and begins to wander, safety becomes an even greater concern. If your loved one has Sundowners (a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms...
Life gets turned on it’s head. (That’s the simplified version of what happens!) Life before dementia seems like a distant memory. It comes on like a subtle fog – barely perceptible until you are engulfed and can’t see two feet in front of you....
As my dad has entered the final stages of dementia my family has had more “I remember when…” conversations. As his memory and abilities fade, we are looking back on this Alzheimer’s journey and remembering both the struggles and the silver...
Today is my parent’s 53rd wedding anniversary. My mom was 19 when she vowed to stand by my dad through better or worse, in sickness and in health. My dad was 24. Thankfully there was more BETTER and HEALTH through the 53 years but there has definitely been a lot...
Have you ever stopped to think about the difference between SYMPATHY and EMPATHY? They are similar at a glance but worlds apart when you really look at how they work and more importantly, how they FEEL. After watching this video by Brene Brown I find myself referring...
