When my mom was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s, I was only 25 years old. I was newly engaged and working my first full-time job out of college.I didn’t know anything about Alzheimer’s and I didn’t know anyone with a parent who had it.While all of my friends were reliving their college days, I was … Continue reading The Alzheimer’s Daughters Club Is Now Open to Join!
Author: Lauren Dykovitz
Lauren Dykovitz lives in New Jersey with her husband and two black labs, Oakley and Lucy. Lauren is a writer, author, and mentor for Alzheimer's daughters. Aside from writing her own blog, Lauren has been a contributing writer to several other websites and blogs. Lauren has also self-published two books, "Learning to Weather the Storm: A Story of Life, Love, and Alzheimer's" and "When Only Love Remains: Surviving My Mom's Battle with Early Onset Alzheimer's." Both books are available on Amazon.
7 Tips for Coping with Ambiguous Loss/Grief
Ambiguous loss occurs when there is psychological absence with physical presence. This occurs when a loved one is emotionally or cognitively gone or missing, but still physically present. This can be caused by Alzheimer’s/dementia, traumatic brain injury, mental illness, addiction, depression, etc. With this type of loss, there is a loss without certainty, closure, or … Continue reading 7 Tips for Coping with Ambiguous Loss/Grief
What Is Something You Are Overthinking?
Back in December, I started thinking about the new year and whether I had any goals I wanted to reach. I decided that I wanted to start living my life more. I wanted to do more things just for fun. I wanted to try new things. I was searching around on the internet and found … Continue reading What Is Something You Are Overthinking?
Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, You Will Feel Free Again Someday
Yesterday I was taking the pups for their morning walk when I had an epiphany. It was a beautiful spring morning here in South Jersey. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I said hello to a few neighbors along the way. I began to feel a strange, unfamiliar feeling that I couldn’t … Continue reading Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, You Will Feel Free Again Someday
Life Is Meant For Living
During my mom’s ten-year battle with Alzheimer’s, I put my life on hold in so many ways that I basically stopped living it altogether. I did the absolute bare minimum that I needed to do to get by. I didn’t have the energy to do anything more than that. At the time, it was what … Continue reading Life Is Meant For Living
It’s Been Two Years Since My Mom Died And I Am Still Her Daughter
Two years. Today marks two years since my mom died. That doesn’t even seem possible. The time seems to both have flown by and stood still. In the days after my mom died, I remember thinking that before I knew it a week would go by. And then a month, a year, two years. I … Continue reading It’s Been Two Years Since My Mom Died And I Am Still Her Daughter
Tips for Starting Home Care for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s
As you may know, my family cared for my mom at home for the entirety of her Alzheimer’s journey. There were many factors that allowed us to do so successfully—one of them being hiring in-home care. It wasn’t exactly a smooth transition, but there were several things we did that made it successful in the … Continue reading Tips for Starting Home Care for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s
Introducing the Alzheimer’s Daughters Club!
I’m so excited to introduce the Alzheimer’s Daughters Club! It’s the club you never thought you’d want to be a part of! But trust me, you will definitely want to be a part of this club! The Alzheimer’s Daughters Club is a membership group that provides support, connection, and understanding for Alzheimer’s Daughters. If you … Continue reading Introducing the Alzheimer’s Daughters Club!
6 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When My Mom Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
I don’t know about you, but I knew next to nothing about Alzheimer’s when my mom was diagnosed with the disease. I never knew anyone else who had it and like so many, I thought it was just about memory loss. I learned so much over the ten years that my mom lived with the … Continue reading 6 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When My Mom Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
9 Thoughts I Had While My Mom Was Living with Alzheimer’s
When you love someone who is living with Alzheimer’s disease, you often feel alone in your thoughts and feelings. You may wonder if anyone else thinks the same thing or feels the same way. I hope to reassure you and normalize the thoughts caregivers may have while caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s. These … Continue reading 9 Thoughts I Had While My Mom Was Living with Alzheimer’s