OUR JOURNEY WITH ALZHEIMER'S

We want you to be encouraged if you are blessed to be a caregiver. You have both a great responsibility as well as a great opportunity of service. Our medical doctor was contacted when many verbal repititions began to occur. Our medical doctor set up testing with a psychologist. In December of 2015 Margaret was diagnosed with the beginning of Alzheimer's. We were advised in that meeting that she should no longer drive. We were shocked. That was not something we expected to hear. She was confused but knew she was losing freedoms always taken for granted. The Lord gave us a promise to which we would cling. He promised that He would never leave nor forsake us. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 NKJV That very promise would give us great comfort in the days ahead. The caregiver needs to continue to have contact from the outside. An important part of care has to do with relationships. Relationships involve family and friends. As communication becomes more difficult the problem is that many begin to pull back from much contact because they become unsure of what to say or do. They become uncomfortable with a relationship that formally they were very comfortable with. Encouragement is greatly needed at this point. Share with children and grandchildren that their mother or father, or grandmother or grandfather may no longer know them, but they still know their loved one. And their encouragement is greatly needed by the caregiver. Upon evaluating Margaret at the nursing facility, it was decided that she culd not benefit from the Rehab Center because she could not follow instructions. I requested a meeting with the Administrator and Director of Nursing to discuss what could be done to help with any rehabilitation. They were not getting her up unless they used a lift. They would not allow her to put weight on the broken leg that had been repaired. I explained that the hospital had her up every day and helped her to take a step or two to a chair where she would spend two to three hours each day. I even contacted her surgeon who sent a note to the facility saying it was okay. That changed nothing. In ou subsequent meeting, I appealed to the leadership for help. Any kind of help. I discussed the doctor's note that they could at least stand her beside the bed and help her sit in a chair. They did not respond. I came away from the meeting feeling absolutely nothing had been accomplished. They gave me the feeling that they had never dealt with the challenges of Alzheimer's before, although, I knew that had to be impossible. This would begin my search for a facility closer to our home.