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
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.
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
It’s My Turn to Live a Whole Entire Life Without My Mom
I turned 37 years old the other day. Although this was only my second birthday without my mom here, anyone who has experienced Alzheimer’s firsthand knows that I’ve been celebrating it without her for a long, long time. It would have been so easy to deduce myself to a puddle of tears all day long, … Continue reading It’s My Turn to Live a Whole Entire Life Without My Mom
4 Things That Helped Me Cope with My Mom’s Alzheimer’s the Most
I often get asked what I did to cope with my mom’s Alzheimer’s while she was living with the disease for ten years. While I’ve written about each of these things before, I’ve never compiled a list of all of them together. So, here’s a list of the four things that helped me cope with … Continue reading 4 Things That Helped Me Cope with My Mom’s Alzheimer’s the Most
8 Things All Alzheimer’s Caregivers Should STOP Doing This Year
All of the hype surrounding a new year and making resolutions or goals can be enough to make an Alzheimer’s caregiver feel like you are failing in more ways than one. When I was helping to care for my mom with Alzheimer’s, the last thing I needed was a resolution to do more of anything. … Continue reading 8 Things All Alzheimer’s Caregivers Should STOP Doing This Year
Don’t Pressure Yourself to Live Up to the Hype of a New Year
I hated the hype of a new year when my mom was living with Alzheimer’s. It seemed like everyone was given the promise of a fresh start—a new beginning—except for me. I rolled my eyes at everyone with their goals and resolutions because it made me feel like I was stuck or behind in some … Continue reading Don’t Pressure Yourself to Live Up to the Hype of a New Year
Not Even Alzheimer’s or Death Can Take Love Away From Us
I wrote the poem in the photo below and gave it to my mom for Christmas when I was in 8th grade. She must have loved it because she hung it up on the wall in the downstairs hallway. It’s still there today. My biggest fear has always been that my mom didn’t know how … Continue reading Not Even Alzheimer’s or Death Can Take Love Away From Us
Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, Your Feelings Are Normal
Dear Alzheimer’s caregiver, I want you to know something. Whatever you’re feeling right now—however you’ve felt in the past—it’s all completely normal. Your feelings are completely normal. Do you feel sad, angry, depressed, isolated, or overwhelmed? Do you feel helpless, hopeless, lost, and alone? Maybe you feel happy about something else going on in your … Continue reading Dear Alzheimer’s Caregiver, Your Feelings Are Normal