Getting Real about Alzheimer’s
By Jean Morse JonesMy family battled Alzheimer's disease on our own. We didn't know about the
In 1995, my mother's doctor told my parents that she probably had Alzheimer's disease. At that point in time there was no definitive tests. As we all dealt with the fear of what that meant, my father promised my mom he would keep her in their home, and never place her in a nursing home. Dad struggled as her primary care giver for ten years, until he had a medical emergency of his own. We didn't think he would survive, so our family dealt with getting him through his crisis and taking care of Mom. In order to help provide our failing parents care, my brother and his wife moved in to our parent's home. In addition we brought in Visiting Angels, a home health care provider, to enable my brother and his wife to work outside the home. This difficult arrangement lasted one year before we had to place my mom in a nursing home for the final two years of her life.
This was never easy, progressively harder and terribly overwhelming for a very long time. My family moved from one work-around to another over 13 years. So many things had to be planned in order to avert the next potential crisis. This disease creates physical and emotional health declines, often accompanied by financial hardship to put care plans in place. Frequently, as in the case of our family, planning needed to take into account a medical crisis for the primary care giver as well.
What we did not know at the time is that the
Since my mom's passing in 2007, I discovered the
Today over 5.8 million people in the US have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. That number is projected to increase to nearly 14 million by 2050.
Please join
___
(c)2019 The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, Mass.
Visit The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, Mass. at www.patriotledger.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ohioans have uncovered millions in missing funds
Challenge to Maine vaccine law likely to make March ballot as other people’s veto bids fall short
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News