Author Archives: Karen

Saturday, my daughter Jocelyn and I went to my mother’s Memory Care facility to take her out to lunch.  It was a beautiful November day in Denver: 78 degrees and sunny.  We find Mom in the lobby, sitting in a semicircle with about eight other residents. The residents look bundled up, wearing heavy sweaters or coats. Continue reading “A Beautiful Day”

Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age  By Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD  I belong to several Facebook Family Caregivers Support groups, and so many caregivers of parents with dementia post about their fear of getting dementia themselves. And they should be worried because according to Alzheimers.org , more that 6 million Americans areContinue reading “Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan”

Each time I visit Mom’s Memory Care facility, I admire the Activity Board of daily activities listed in the main room. Usually, I just swoop in to take her out shopping or to lunch. The board reassures me that when I’m not around, she has plenty to do to keep her busy.  Looking back, IContinue reading “The Cooking Show”

I periodically take Mom to the nail salon. Sometimes there is a beautician at her facility that will give her a manicure, but they don’t seem to last long.  Mom is extremely proud of her nails and receives compliments on them a lot. They are beautiful- they are strong and can grow to claw-like proportionsContinue reading “At the Nail Salon”

Because of the year-long Covid lockdown and her recent fall and broken arm, we were alarmed to recognize that Mom’s cognitive decline has accelerated.  According to the criteria from Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation website: Clinical Stages of Alzheimer’s, I think Mom is currently in stage 6. Since its the next to last stageContinue reading “Holding on to Stage 6”

My mother adores my tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend Kelly. We first dated in high school, so he is comfortably established in her long term memory. Kelly and I reunited about ten years ago, and mom always looks forward to seeing him. He earns her high regard through regularly sending her postcards with friendly and funnyContinue reading “The Rascal”

Mom has lived in a lovely assisted living/memory care facility for the past four years. You’d expect she was living at the Ritz Carlton since the fees are astronomical, and they rise every year. In reality though, the facility care provides only basic maintenance for the residents, and most facilities seem to be chronically understaffed.Continue reading “So Much More than the Monthly Fee”

We are grateful that Mom can still have a satisfactory conversation with us, even though we often need to initiate ideas.  If she takes the lead, she tends to prattle on about whatever is in front of her – trees, paintings, objects, random people. She can identify the family and is always delighted to visitContinue reading “She’s Still Here”

Memories in the Making 2021 Both my parents were artists, although mom would never acknowledge her ability.  “I am an art teacher, not an artist,” she always said.  She gave all the credit to my dad.  Although now, she paints quite a bit in her Memory Care, and she clearly has talent.   Two ofContinue reading “Don’t Fence Me In”

August 15, 2021 My mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, has lost so much because of this hideous disease: memories, independence, control, purpose, and friendships. Mom currently lives in a Memory Care Facility and never gives up hope that whenever we visit, we might be there to take her back home. She misses our dad, whoContinue reading “Look at the clouds”