I’m sure you won’t disagree with my belief that the responsibility of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another dementia is greatly underestimated and underappreciated by nearly everyone, except for the families themselves.
This leaves families struggling to succeed under the most complex of situations.
Government downplays and seemingly ignores Alzheimer’s disease
The media doesn’t get it – if it were transmitted by a mosquito, it’s all we would hear about.
We all see a celebrity speak out for the cause, and we desperately hope their voice is the one that opens everyone’s eyes.
Comedian Seth Rogan spoke before an absent Senate Committe to emphasis the devastation he has seen first hand.
Musician Glen Campbell allowed a movie to be made about his personal struggle.
Juliann Moore won an Oscar for her role as a renowned linguistics professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in Still Alice.
And each time, the dementia community held it’s breath in hopes that government and society would wake up and take notice.
But each time has now passed, and here we are with another 27,000 new cases of dementia world wide today.
In my recent article on Huffington Post, I talk more about why I believe caregivers are struggling:
An Open Letter To Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Why You’re Struggling
Questions or thoughts? Let me know by commenting below:
If you like what you’ve read, why not receive periodic updates when you:
Subscribe to the TinT Newsletter
Dementia per se is so very complex in its presentation, that each person afflicted, behaves in a specific way, akin to themselves. There are familiar signals, but I have found that a person-centered approach is the only viable one in addressing behaviour. That suggests a kind of commitment which is quite profound and not always appreciated as such in the Care World generally. I wish I had been equipped with the knowledge I have since acquired, when caring for my late mother (Alzheimer’s/vascular dementia). An experience which was exceedingly difficult and emotionally challenging. Governments do need to take this whole area seriously. They should spend time in a facility and see exactly what takes place with an individual who is suffering from this neurological disease. The anxiety, the anger, the fear, the – at times- violence. The confusion, hallucinations, physical problems and so on. Then, perhaps they would sit up and realise the fundamental import of this real and abiding problem. Unless you have first-hand experience, you have no notion. It is a revelation and at times, a rather extraordinary one — with moments of tremendous personal reward and enlightenment.
Thank you for your comment John. I completely agree. I also think we need to start looking at it as the Alzheimer’s/Dementia spectrum much like they do with Autism because as you mention, no two diagnosis are the same.