The Life of the Alzheimer’s Caregiver
For the 8th time this hour, she nods in agreement to the same conclusion to the same story. And for the 8th time this hour, she smiles and answers the same question about where Uncle Tom is living now.
She is the Alzheimer’s Caregiver. And she loves her husband. His affable, friendly spirit has always drawn people to him as he tells stories and shares pithy observations on life.
But, her waking hours are stuck on repeat. Because at this stage, he is living…well, on repeat. And she is genuinely engaged and glad to communicate with him and to laugh along the first few times through every new story and observation, but as he makes his 3rd, 4th, 5th, and sometimes many more rounds through the same conversation, she grows weary. How many times can you laugh at the same joke? How many times can you answer the same question?
So, she attempts to pick up and skip the record of his mind to a new topic, a new distraction, a new song for him to sing. She has learned many new tools for her toolbox, many new methods for keeping him occupied which grant her stretches of reprieve. She is strong, resilient, and determined to care well for him.
But still…living life on constant repeat is tiring, though she loves him. And he still makes her laugh. And she still makes his eyes light up. And sometimes she wants to pull her hair out and scream.
All of this is true and much more in the life of this Alzheimer’s family. One word sums up their current experience:
Repeating.
Worth Repeating
It hurts to know you’ll never remember the things I’ll never forget.
-Tiffany Williams
