A Visit to Mother

Lori La Bey, one of the bloggers in our network, recently wrote a tender piece about visiting her mother.

Today as I sat and visited with my Mother I had to admit to myself I was struggling.

Struggling to get her to engage me.

To notice me.

To react to me.

As I felt a lump grow in my throat and my eyes begin to well with tears, I realized my focus was all wrong.  I had fallen back into one of my old patterns.  One of setting expectations of my Mother.   I wanted her to meet me where I was, verses me meeting her where she was.

Setting expectations is such a simple thing to do wrong when visiting a person with Alzheimer’s.  Depending on the stage of the disease they may not even know we have expectations of them.  If they do understand, they probably won’t know how to meet our expectations. Once I understood what was wrong I could correct the problem.  I could correct me.

Read more at the Alzheimer's Speaks blog:

Alzcare in New Braunfels. Quality Alzheimer's Care Facilities in Texas.

Rope to Remember 2010

rope-to-remember-270

From the AlzCare Blog Network

09/03/2010 - 01:41

I got an email recently from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) about dementia caregiving research that won't surprise you. Here is the email:

Good Morning,

Your readers, like two million Canadians, are often...


09/03/2010 - 01:01

You’ve taken your mom to the doctor and she’s upset with you because the doctor’s office was cold. You’ve helped your dad with the yard and he’s annoyed that you didn’t put mow the grass in the right pattern. Why do many elders complain about...


09/02/2010 - 20:58

How many people suffering from Alzheimer's go missing each day?...
By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room

Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room
Enter Your Email Address

How many person with Alzheimer's...


09/02/2010 - 12:18

Alzheimer's Reading Room

Beatitudes for Friends of the AgedEsther Mary Walker
Blessed are they who understandMy faltering step and palsied hand.
Blessed are they who know that my earstodayMust strain to catch the things they...


09/02/2010 - 10:34

Alzheimer's Reading Room

“Anti-amyloid therapeutic drugs represent a valid approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease, but their inability to accumulate in the brain has limited their usefulness,” says Greengard, who is head of the...


The Latest Alzheimer's News

09/03/2010 - 01:41

I got an email recently from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) about dementia caregiving research that won't surprise you. Here is the email:

Good Morning,

Your readers, like two million Canadians, are often faced with taking on the role of a caring for their elderly parents, spouses and/or friends who wish to remain at home while they confront the challenges of aging. While taking care of a loved one can be very fulfilling, it can also be physically and emotionally draining and lead to burn-out and a search for alternatives, including moving the senior to residential care.


09/02/2010 - 19:40

Reuters IndiaWorld Alzheimer's Day Sept. 21Santa Barbara IndependentAs the population ages (Baby Boomers begin retiring next year), Alzheimer's disease will become more prevalent. By 2050 nearly 16 million Americans will ...Staying mentally active could delay Alzheimer's diseaseNECNAlzheimer's Trade-Off for Mentally Active SeniorsU.S. News & World ReportSoluble amyloid beta-protein implicated in Alzheimer's diseasePhysOrg.comLos Angeles Times -Seer Press -BusinessWeekall 181 news articles »


09/02/2010 - 17:05

Globe and MailCancer drug may be used to treat Alzheimer's diseaseRetirementHomes.comResearchers in the United States recently announced that a drug used to treat a certain type of cancer may be able to treat Alzheimer's disease. ...Fisher Scientists Discover Protein that Fuels Alzheimer's Disease, Promising ...PR Newswire (press release)Finding Suggests New Aim for Alzheimer's DrugsNew York TimesStudy Finds More Specific Target to Get at Beta AmyloidBehavioral Health Central (blog)msnbc.com -CNN (blog) -Alzheimer's Societyall 75 news articles »


09/02/2010 - 14:59

Michael Douglas's cancer diagnosis; children, sex, and the media—how parents can gain control.


Syndicate