The Challenges of Being an Alzheimer's Caregiver
Hello! I have been an Alzheimer's caregiver with my mom for the past 2 years. Right now, we're doing whatever we can to keep her engaged and delay the symptoms as much as possible. I hope that my blog will help others who have a loved one with Alzheimer's and support them for one of the most difficult journeys of their...
View MoreWhen my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, both me and my mom jumped right into her care without any second thoughts. It was a hard decision at the time, for me anyway. I was away when she was diagnosed, just finishing a graduate program in upstate New York at Binghamton U, but I knew my mom wasn't able to do it alone (and it would have been alone because you can't expect my uncles to do anything). Luckily, it was more towards the end of my program, so I was able to finish it before going back home.
But, right now, it's been difficult. We're watching her deteriorate before our very eyes and we aren't able to stop it, which is killing us both. Sometimes, I try to engage her in the best way possible, but... it's like she doesn't have the will to really do anything. So, if I pull out a puzzle or ask if she wants to help me make that night's meal, she doesn't want to do it. She used to love to knit as well, it was always her thing--but, even now, she doesn't want to pick up her thread and needles to it. I even tried to learn to do it so I can do it with her.
It's frustrating, you know? We try to do as much as we can, but none of it seems to matter. Once in a while, I do see my grandmother again, especially when it's just me and her. It would just be in little bits. So, we're starting to treasure those little moments as they come and keep them for safe-keeping. It's only been two years since she was diagnosed, but I feel like it's been longer than that.
I'm not sure about what I'm going to do when the end of it comes, how me and my mom, and even my uncles are going to prepare, but when it comes, it's going to hit us hard. And, I feel bad because my mom gets the brunt of it now. Whenever she tries to do something, a family member always blocks her from doing it because they feel that what she is doing isn't the right thing. Even when they aren't there to judge it.
I don't know. We're just going to continue what we can for now and see how it works out in the future.
Signing off,
Sandra.
