| When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's | | | | managing his care. My mother did not leave the |
| disease, my mother seemed to conveniently | | | | house and started becoming depressed. The |
| choose not to deal with it. Don't get me wrong, | | | | whole situation at times became overwhelming. |
| she and my father lived in their own home when | | | | Knowing something had to be done, after a little |
| he was diagnosed. She decided that she did not | | | | while I managed to talk my mother into in-home |
| and would not place him in a nursing facility. But | | | | care services. I gave her a gift certificate for |
| she also refuse to accept the fact that he had a | | | | in-home care for twice a week just to try. At |
| disease. She was in denial. So dealing with her | | | | first, she rebelled, but finally she took advantage |
| issues was much harder than dealing with my | | | | of it. I took her out to lunch and shopping. This |
| fathers illness. Not only did her being in denial add | | | | gave her a much needed break, she was able to |
| more stress to the whole situation, she felt that | | | | get out more often and maintain ties with her |
| she should handle the whole thing on her own | | | | friends. The caregiver also provided socialization, |
| without outside help, placing a lot of the burden on | | | | and my mother looked forward to her visits. She |
| us. She did not want strangers coming into her | | | | made a new friend. It also allowed our family to |
| home to help her with the care of her husband. | | | | get back on track with our own lives, jobs and |
| Since they were my parents, and raised and took | | | | children. It allowed us to spend more enjoyable, |
| great care of me, I knew that I had to help her | | | | quality times with my father through this very |
| and my father. So, your own life, and needs go | | | | stressful period in all of our lives. My father used |
| on hold. Just trying to figure out what to do and | | | | to say when life became stressful, "This too shall |
| how to do it as far as care was concerned was | | | | pass". And, yes it did pass. We made it through |
| overwhelming. Also making sure that they were | | | | and became stronger and closer as a family. |
| both safe was a major concern. My father was | | | | When you are faced with any situation, taking |
| quickly losing mobility. My mother could not lift him | | | | control and starting with baby steps will lead you |
| or move him. So it was up to us. Knowing that | | | | to resolve any issues that may arise. Through my |
| the state of his health was important, and soon it | | | | own personal experience I learned that |
| would be hard to get him to go to the doctor, I | | | | sometimes families just need a plan. They need |
| knew that I needed to find a physician that made | | | | to be supported and guided. I truly feel for the |
| house calls. That was the best decision I ever | | | | families that are going through the same thing our |
| made. First, now there was a person available to | | | | family did. |
| us for any medical needs or in case of | | | | I understand what families can go through on a |
| emergency. Secondly, it made my mother slowly | | | | daily basis. You feel extremely lost and do not |
| realize and understand Alzheimer's Disease and its | | | | know who you can depend on or who you can |
| progression. It allowed her to let people in her | | | | turn to. But, knowing what to do in a situation is |
| home. The doctor ordered a hospital bed for my | | | | the most important thing. Knowing the decision to |
| father, which made things so much easier. He also | | | | make and when to start making them is vital. |
| ordered a nurse to come in to ensure he was | | | | Knowing that not everyone needs to be placed in |
| doing okay. Any blood tests or ultra-sounds were | | | | a nursing facility is also important. When you pull all |
| done right in home. He was starting to receive | | | | the right resources together, aging adults can |
| better care than if my mother would have placed | | | | remain in the comfort of their home. My father |
| him in a nursing facility. | | | | did remain in his own home until he passed away. |
| He was on his way now, even in this situation | | | | I made sure that he received the best possible |
| living a better quality of life. This also alleviated a | | | | quality of care. That was his wish. That was my |
| lot of our worries as far as the condition he was | | | | goal, to make sure his wish was fulfilled. |
| in at all times. But still, our lives were on hold | | | | |