Alzheimer’s Notes

With the Hopelessness Can Come Joy in Alzheimer’s

by Mary Emma Allen on June 26th, 2007

So many people consider caring for an Alzheimer’s patient a hopeless situation, one filled with saddness and dispair.  Frequently whatever is written or filmed contains the aura of hopelessness. 

I’m glad there’s an increasing awareness of Alzheimer’s and it’s devastation to family members, victims, and society.  However, I like people to realize that, since we can’t, at this point in time, stop or ignore Alzheimer’s, it’s possible to find joy…both for the patient and yourself.

“Joy!” you say.  “She’s nuts!” 

It was frustrating, it was tiring, it was often sad caring for Mother and Auntie.  However, we did experience laughter and joy.  We all learned to look beyond the tears to the trumphs, beyond the rain to the rainbows…and find pleasure in one another’s company.  No it wasn’t all happiness and roses.  But we learned to laugh, to look at life from a different view, to enjoy small pleasures, to learn about another aspect of life…that of caring and serving and helping others…both the patient and other families.

             Brenda Avadian, who cared for her father with Alzheimer’s, has written about this experience, “Where’s my shoes?” My Father’s Walk Through Alzheimer’s and then compiled two anthologies Finding the Joy in Alzheimer’s.  (I shared stories of Mother and Auntie in both of these.)

                            “After Martin Avadian was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his daughter, Brenda Avadian, dedicated herself to walking with other caregivers along an otherwise lonely caregiving road.”

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