Special thanks to Naomi C. for sharing this special story about caring for her mother with dementia:
Being blessed with my Mom living with my husband and I for the last 20 years, we have been able to enjoy all the benefits of “Gramma” being here. Her sage wisdom, her genuine love and joy when spending time with our sons, her pleasant, ladylike demeanor….
A diagnosis of dementia last May, has tried to rob us of those blessings, as we struggle to understand her ‘new personality’ and the challenges that come with it. It has begun to rob her of her joys in life, as if aging gracefully into her early 90’s wasn’t going to be challenging enough. But we are learning every day, and at the end of a very tough day of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, fussiness, and downright grumpies, we get a laugh or smile, and an “I’m sorry if I have been hard on you today…I know you are trying to help me.”
This is coming from a lady who bore 8 children, did absolutely EVERYTHING for them, and raised them all with unwavering love and commitment. It is a privilege to be able to return that commitment to her.
It was George Washington Carver who said: “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life, you will have been all of these.” I learned this quote as a child and now I know why God gave it to me. She has been all of these and I will be all of these. It is a blessing.
Shield HealthCare | Caregivers Community
