Lillian's
Story*
About a year ago,
I noticed
that my mother was using
different stores for shopping and a different salon for her
haircuts. Mother lived alone and
had always been independent, even though she was 88 years
old. When I asked her about this change,
she told me she had gotten lost coming home several times and just
wanted to stay in the neighborhood.
As time went on,
her memory kept getting worse. She began losing her
keys and forgetting to eat. Mom has asthma. I
found she was stockpiling her medication because she kept
forgetting to take it. Finally, about six months
ago, my husband convinced Mom that it was not safe for her to drive. She
reluctantly gave up her car and agreed to move in with us.
Mom
had become very weak from not eating right, and she
experienced difficulty breathing. This made it hard for her
to leave the house. Mom's primary doctor made a house call,
and he diagnosed Mom with Alzheimer's Dementia. He made
changes to her medication and ordered a visiting nurse to come to
our house.
When the
Holy Redeemer visiting nurse came
to the house to see Mom that week, she asked
a lot of questions. She helped us think about Mom's disease
and how Mom could remain as independent as possible, for
as long as possible.
One day, while letting the doctor know
about Mom's medical condition, the nurse asked if Holy Redeemer
could send out therapists trained in physical, occupational,
and speech therapies to help us with Mom's care. These
professionals were able to provide us
with information and recommendations on how to
modify our home to increase Mom's safety and independence.
The speech therapist made feeding and swallowing recommendations to help with
her nutritional needs.
Discovering Mom has dementia and living with it every day
has been a tremendous emotional and physical stress for all
of us. Holy Redeemer Home Care has helped us cope with
some of the challenges and changes. We've been
able to develop solutions to help us meet our many
responsibilities and adjust to our new and changing roles.
~~~~~~~
Not long ago, we couldn't do much for
Lillian or others like her. However, research continues to
bring us a better understanding of dementia related
diseases, more accurate diagnoses, and more effective
treatments. It is critical for people with dementia and
their families to receive information, care, and support as
early as possible.
If you suspect signs or symptoms of
dementia in yourself or a loved one, we recommend consulting
a physician. Early diagnosis is an important step to
getting appropriate help.
*The above story is a composite of many
people's experiences with family members who have dementia. It is
intended to describe a situation. Similarities with names or any
individual's situation are purely coincidental.
