It was 10 years ago this month that my sisters and I lost our mother. She didn’t have Alzheimer’s but our stepfather did, and we believe that her death was hastened by the huge burden of trying to care for Harry.
My mom wasn’t one to complain. She was living in the New Smyrna Beach area and I was working in Bradenton. But I made it a point to see her once a week, and it finally dawned on me that Harry’s situation had gradually moved from simple forgetfulness to something a lot worse.
My mother was being overwhelmed by the demands of caring for Harry, and she wasn’t taking care of herself.
We began looking into ways to see if we could relieve her of some of that burden, when she suddenly fell catastrophically ill. She died within weeks.
Harry, who once had a story for every occasion, but at the end had only one that he repeated over and over again, survived my mother but not by much. He died less than a year later.
I’ll never get that load of guilt off my back that we didn’t see what was coming earlier, and didn’t do more to head it off.
My mother was an authentic southern girl who grew up on a farm in Spuds, Fla. She was loving, caring, funny, hard-working and true. Some called her a character, but they meant it as a compliment. A terrific cook and hostess, anyone invited to her table was a lucky and happy person.
We miss her terribly.
Unfortunately, what happened to my family is an all-too-common scenario when Alzheimer’s rears its head.
I wanted to share a bit of my family’s story so that maybe it could be a help to others.
Alzheimer’s can happen in any family. It was recently announced that singer Glen Campbell has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. President Ronald Reagan had it, as did Charlton Heston and Rita Hayworth.
No one seems to be projecting a near-term cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
That’s bad news for the Baby Boomer generation, most of whom may think of themselves as middle aged, but are already approaching prime Alzheimer’s years.
A press release from the University of South Florida popped up in my email recently that I thought worth sharing.
The USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute is sponsoring a free community program, “Alzheimer’s Disease: What Caregivers Need to Know,” on July 26 at the Windsor of Lakewood Ranch, 8220 Natures Way.
The program is designed for anyone caring for a family member or friend with Alzheimer’s. Topics will include understanding the disease, progress in treatment, communication strategies, managing troublesome behaviors and more.
The program is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and lunch will be provided by Windsor of Lakewood Ranch.
There is no charge, but advanced registration is requested to reserve a seat. For more information or to register, call (813) 974-4355 or toll free in Florida at (800) 633-4563.
There are other resources out there, too. Some suggestions: West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging Inc. at (813) 740-3888 or (800) 336-2226, and Alzheimer’s Association Florida Gulf Coast Chapter at (941) 365-8883 or the help line at (800) 272-3900. Here’s a University of Florida website that has a ton of information: http://alzonline.phhp.ufl.edu/
I wish someone had taken me to a class like this 11 years ago. It could have made a difference in my family.
James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee editor, can be contacted at (941) 745-7021.
