I love the hopefulness of the image above, and the humanity of the tune below.
Despite the challenges of my journey with Mom, I learned so much from it and from her as we travelled the road hand in hand. I’m grateful for the time we spent together here in this life, and particularly as she lived with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.
Nevertheless, our journey with dementia was also replete with tragety, frustration, despair and suffering, most of which was uneneccessary. The way we care for people who live with dementia and their care partners is unacceptable. Our healthcare systems are broken, elders are neglected and abused, we need to fight for massive change. We can’t give up; we must rise up. This post is dedicated to all those who would make this world a better place for us all, especially those of us who are vulnerable elders who live with dementia — you raise me up to more than I can be!
https://myalzheimersstory.com/2014/12/08/i-will-always-love-you/
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Image copyright: niserin / 123RF Stock Photo
My Alzheimer's Story 
“We can’t give up, we must rise up.” I want the t-shirt, please.
Beautiful thoughts and music, thanks for sharing on this gorgeous November morning. I will share the song with my parents. We’ll probably all cry together. Not out of sadness, (although my Mom might feel music as sadness, she connects it to the past), but because music brings emotion alive. When my Dad and I sing together, I see and feel the tears well up in him. It’s joy, and when we allow it to take over, it’s a beautiful thing.
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“It’s joy, and when we allow it to take over, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Yes, that’s it exactly Lorrie. I’ll let you know when I get the T-shirts 😉
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Thank you for sharing.
On reading your post I reflected on the journey I took with my mother and the journey I am now taking with my husband.
With both of them I am constantly in and out if the home and know the staff very well. They all know I will try to ensure that they are well looked after.
Many years ago my mother-in-law was dying in a normal hospital. I was with her a lot of the time and fed her but also more importantly monitored the pain relief they were giving her. I was constantly getting the staff to give her more when she was in a lot of pain. I did get very frustrated with this I must say. Later I said to my doctor ‘what happens to people who don’t have someone like me in there?’. His reply haunted me ‘they suffer Diane’.
We are talking about something similar with those suffering from dementia. I totally agree with you, we must all keep trying to improve the care for these people.
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“‘what happens to people who don’t have someone like me in there?’. His reply haunted me ‘they suffer Diane’.”
Yes, and so many elders, particularly those who live with dementia, have no one to advocate for them, and so they are neglected, mistreated, and even abused. It’s not right, and we need to do everything we can to change it. thanks so much for doing way more than your part Diane.
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