Alzheimer's Care - know your limits. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, especially early-onset, presents unique challenges. This episode features Irene, who shares her personal journey of caring for her husband diagnosed at just 51. Irene discusses the initial warning signs she noticed, including social withdrawal and increased forgetfulness, and the difficulty of balancing work, family, and caregiving.
She candidly describes the emotional and physical toll of caregiving, the lack of limits, and the point at which she realized she couldn't do it alone, and the difficult but loving decision to move her husband to memory care. Irene emphasizes the importance of self-care for caregivers and the need to recognize personal limits. She also highlights the relief and unexpected benefits that memory care can provide, both for the individual with Alzheimer's and their families. This episode offers valuable insights and support for anyone navigating the complexities of Alzheimer's care. It is definitely a warning on setting and understanding your limits.
A Bit From Irene's Book
We left the doctor's office and my head started spinning. I couldn't remember where I had parked the car. Quite miraculously, Robert managed to navigate us to the correct floor of the parking garage despite my that all hope had been sucked out of me. I had been struggling to cope since our last appointment with the family doctor, but receiving this final blow was brutal. I put my left hand on the side of the car, leaned over, and threw up. It was just bile. I had to push something out of me—denial, anger, angst—I didn’t know. Wiping my mouth, my snotty nose and my tear-stained face with jittery hands I leaned heavily against the back of the car. I took a long, shaky breath in and out in an attempt to pull myself together.
So began the journey with her husband who is diagnosed with early onset Dementia at the age of 51. 'Forgiving the Man Who Forgot' carries you along one woman’s journey of love, honesty, disappointment and courage, detailing her life before, during and after her husband’s diagnosis of early onset Dementia. Reading this memoir, you feel as though the author is sitting across from you and sharing the ups and downs of her life over a glass of wine or cup of coffee.
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Related Episodes:
Strength As A Sandwich Generation Caregiver
Breaking the Burnout Cycle
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