The leaves of memory seemed to makeA mournful rustling in the dark.~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I am losing my mother in pieces. She is like an autumn tree: beautiful, colorful, and dying. The breeze of Alzheimer’s whispers through the branches while her memory drops off with the leaves. One day, when her tree is finally bare, I will hold a memory of her blooming strength. She … Continue reading Mother Nature…Mother Nurture
In 2017, when my husband, Steve, started getting lost in our house, I realized it was time for the next step in our Alzheimer’s journey—a move from Seattle to a retirement community in Vancouver. That move, to be closer to my son and daughter-in-law in Portland, meant the loss of our former support community. That community had changed over the years following Steve’s diagnosis. While … Continue reading Finding Community with Dementia-Friendly Walking Groups
by Kathy Teyler Jarrett You’ve gotten at least a tentative diagnosis, so what do you do next? Next steps may seem daunting, but there are things you can and should do now – even if you feel in a fog. Do the first 3 sooner rather than later. If you have done some of these already, great! 1. Get a good specialist for your loved one. If … Continue reading 12 Steps to Take After a Lewy Body Dementia Diagnosis
Alzheimer’s is the only disease I know of where, when it enters your life, you are completely on your own. And we felt very alone when we received the news that Mike had been diagnosed in April of 2014. Continue reading How Mike’s Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Stole the Love of My Life
