A Personal Experience with Alzheimer's

 My friend Kim is 34 years old. Just two years younger than me, she is dealing with what some people don't deal with until they are in their 50s or 60s. She just moved her mother into a memory care until in Hoover. 

Her mother is 58 years old. 

Many times over the past three years Kim and I have discussed what was going on with her mom since her Alzheimer's diagnosis three years ago. With my experience in senior care the first thing I told her to do was to meet with an eldercare attorney and get her affairs in order. Kim told me that she would do that eventually but that their plan was to have her mother stay with her aunt, sister and herself. Deep down I knew this was a bad idea, but I thought she needed consistency. But since it wasn't my mother, I kept my mouth shut but did go back and tell her that she needed to go ahead and meet with the eldercare attorney. 

Two weeks ago she came to me and said that her mom had become combative all the sudden and wasn't transitioning very well from house to house. So they decided to move her into a memory care community. 

Kim explained it like dropping her child off as kindergarden. It broke my heart for her but I have seen it many, many times. 

I asked Kim yesterday how her mother was doing. She told me that she hasn't seen her mother so happy in awhile. Her mom was a nurse and she actually thinks she is working there! We all want what is best for our parents and it is hard to put their care in someone else's hands - but sometimes that is the best option.

Kim mentioned to me that she wished they would have kept her mother's house and have CAREGivers come in and stay with her. This is what I would have recommend first. It's important to keep someone with Alzheimer's in a consistent location - and this is where we can help.

Our CAREGivers go through extensive Alzheimer's training. We can be with your loved anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. This would have helped Kim tremendously since she has a 2 year old and a 5 year old. 

When you get that diagnosis of Alzheimer's, it is time to start planning. 

Let us be a part of that plan!

Call us for a non-obligatory assessment.

(205) 822-1915