By Glenn Jacobs, Puyallup, Wash. Hi there, my name is Glenn. It has been three-and-half years since my wife, Pam passed away from Alzheimer’s. We were married in 1969, so it was a long time that we had been married. We first learned about her diagnosis only three years prior to her death, so that wasn’t a very long time at all. It was a … Continue reading Things I Miss: Making Every Minute Count
Last year, in the middle of a sermon, Sylvia lost her place and couldn’t remember what she was saying. This was one of the signs Sylvia and Chris noticed before her diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s. This year, Sylvia and Chris will participate in the Pierce County Walk to End Alzheimer’s in honor of their family and other families facing this disease. Continue reading Our Love Endures: Why I Walk
I always knew about the Alzheimer’s Association, but I found about The Longest Day this summer through VolunteerMatch. For The Longest Day, I will be selling clothes on the Depop app in honor of my grandfather who is living with dementia. Continue reading Thrifting for good: The Longest Day
Valentine’s Day can be a particularly sentimental time for couples affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia, as they adjust to dual roles as both romantic partners and care partners. This day is also a reminder that love is not only what brings couples together, but it is often what keeps couples going through this difficult journey. Continue reading Valentine’s Day: A Couple’s Devotion While Facing Alzheimer’s During COVID-19
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the Fall/Winter 2019 edition of Compass & Clock Magazine. We are publishing it now in honor of National Family Caregiver’s Month. By: Madeleine Fraley He was an amazing man who carried himself with tall and quiet dignity. Quickly, he would offer a gentle smile. He was smart, talented, energetic, passionate and loving. With a twinkle in his … Continue reading Oh, that smile…
by Reed Henry, MA, LMHC, gerontologist I met with a man this morning that had recently experienced the agony of placing his dear sweet wife in a specialized memory care facility. Walter and Emma* have been married 62 wonderful years and he loves her with all of his heart. My last two encounters with him have centered on his unhappiness with the care she has … Continue reading The grief and loss of reciprocity
By Cheri Whitlock On January 9, 1988, my husband Jim and I spoke traditional vows of better or worse, richer or poorer, sickness and health, till death do us part. In our 30 years, we have shared all the normal ups and downs of married life. We moved across the country and bought a home, we had a miscarriage and dealt with infertility, we shared … Continue reading For Better or for Worse: My Advocacy Story
Kathy Katz and Tim Oshie have known each other for 29 years. Kathy met Tim through her late husband. “We actually met at my wedding,“ Kathy says. “Tim and my husband were really good friends in high school. Back in the day, Tim was a disc jockey and he deejayed our wedding for us. That was the first time that I met him.” Kathy and … Continue reading Kathy Katz – Why I Walk
Alzheimer’s disease impacts others besides those who’ve been diagnosed. Valerie Halvorson can attest to that. Valerie’s father was living in Pampa, Texas when he was diagnosed. At the time, Valerie was a teacher in Olympia. “I was 2,000 miles away,” Valerie says. “And though they would visit often, it was hard for me to tell really what was going on, and my mom didn’t want … Continue reading Valerie Halvorson: Why I Walk
By Laureen Skirvan “The long goodbye” is a term used when a loved one has Alzheimer’s. The goodbye begins when they start to fade away and lose their memory and ends when their body succumbs to the disease and they pass away. I am currently in the middle of this long goodbye with my mother, Rosalie. She was diagnosed last year with Alzheimer’s, but I … Continue reading Cherished Memories
