Tenderly Tracking My Husband. “Knowing when to step in and tell a loved one with [Alzheimer’s] that they can no longer do something because it’s too risky is a game of chance we caregivers hate to play.” Lovely & heartbreaking.
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Comments 2
I have a dear friend who is in the early/mid stages of dementia, as well as having declining vision, and the question of when to take away her car keys is an agonizing one. We live in a place where having a car is near-essential, and she is fiercely independent; yet I deeply worry that she might end up seriously hurting herself or someone else.
My father-in-law has developed dementia and it's gone from 0-60 in what seems like 6 months. I think it's actually been 2 years but I don't think it was obvious to anyone the first year. He wasn't making new memories or recognizing people well but it wasn't outwardly noticeable other than he wasn't as entertaining to talk to as before. Now, by dinner time he doesn't remember where or with whom he ate lunch even, if you tell him. We've had to disable his motorcycle (until it can be sold), literally sneak his bicycle out of the house, and put alarms on the doors so he doesn't leave. He still thinks he's going to get his bike out any day now and go for a ride. It's a crazy thing to witness. It's a tragedy for everyone. His personality is still there but he's incredibly difficult to talk to because he won't remember what either of us said 2 minutes later. I don't know where I'm going with this but I thought I'd share.
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