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
Tag: mom has Alzheimer’s
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
There’s No Shame in Quitting Your Job to Care for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s
I went to the dentist for the first time in years today. I could blame it on the pandemic or the fact that we’ve moved a lot, but that’s not really the reason—at least not all of it. The real reason is that for years I had a dentist who—for lack of a better word—was … Continue reading There’s No Shame in Quitting Your Job to Care for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s
I See You, Alzheimer’s Daughter
I see you, Alzheimer’s Daughter, trying to smile through the pain. I know how much it hurts. You feel as if both of your parents have just disappeared, vanished into some other world. Alzheimer’s World. They are gone forever. Only they’re not really gone. They’re still alive and, maybe, they live just a few miles … Continue reading I See You, Alzheimer’s Daughter
To the Bride Whose Parent Has Alzheimer’s…
My husband and I are approaching our tenth wedding anniversary on September 24th. The other night we were sitting on the couch and I said to him, “You know what sucks? I hate thinking back to when we got married because it was such a painful time in my life. I love you so much … Continue reading To the Bride Whose Parent Has Alzheimer’s…
Changing Your Perspective Won’t Change Your Circumstances, But It Will Change You
When I was in the thick of my mom’s Alzheimer’s, I often felt down, depressed, and hopeless. I mostly focused on all that I had lost and would continue to lose as my mom declined. I would read things about being positive, finding joy, and hunting the good stuff and I would scoff. How could … Continue reading Changing Your Perspective Won’t Change Your Circumstances, But It Will Change You
Don’t Further Isolate Yourself—Alone Is Not the Way
When I was helping to care for my mom with Alzheimer’s, I often distanced myself from my friends because I felt like they couldn’t possibly understand what I was going through. They probably couldn’t because they had never been through it themselves, but I also never bothered trying to explain it to them. Instead, I … Continue reading Don’t Further Isolate Yourself—Alone Is Not the Way
Introducing My Mentoring Services for Alzheimer’s Daughters
My mom was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s in 2010 when I was just 25 years old. I didn’t know anyone my age who understood what I was going through. I didn’t know anyone who had ever dealt with a parent having Alzheimer’s disease. None of my friends, co-workers, or other peers could relate to … Continue reading Introducing My Mentoring Services for Alzheimer’s Daughters