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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsShe Got A Birthday Card From Her Mom, But The Name On It Broke Her Heart
http://www.upworthy.com/she-got-a-birthday-card-from-her-mom-but-the-name-on-it-broke-her-heart?c=upw1
Curator: Darcie Conway
Her story is just one of millions of people who are on the same journey. Watching a loved one deteriorate can be extremely difficult. As strong as caregivers are, sometimes they just need to know they're not alone.
This is Beth.
This is Beth's mother Marilyn.
7 years ago, Beth noticed that Marilyn wasn't able to balance her checkbook anymore -- something she'd always done.
Beth noticed that Marilyn would return from the grocery store with items she didn't need and had never intended to buy.
One day when Beth was out of town, her sister called with the news. Her mother had a diagnosis: late first-stage Alzheimer's disease.
Having worked on an Alzheimer's unit, Beth knew exactly what was in store for her and her family.
The day after recieving her mother's diagnosis, she opened a birthday card her mother had sent. Her mother had mispelled her own name. Seeing the disease's effect so clearly spelled out was devastating.
That was the beginning of a journey that's all too familiar to so many people.
The facts:
Currently, 1 in 3 seniors die of Alzheimer's or another dementia.
In 2013, 15.5 million caregivers provided an estimated 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care valued at more than $220 billion.
A little more than 3 in 5 of those unpaid caregivers are women. And women are more likely to get Alzheimer's than men.
There are 10 early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease that you can watch out for to get treatment early, including memory loss that disrupts daily life, trouble understanding visual and spatial relationships, and new problems with words in writing or speaking.
Still, there's hope in the face of Alzheimer's.
FULL story at link.
xchrom
(108,903 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)And not confined to people over 60, anymore.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)dementia. She told us she was seeing this in much younger people, in their 50s and wondered why herself.
polly7
(20,582 posts)I've worked with many dementia pts. over the years in different nursing homes. My stomach is still sick this morning at the things she called me on the three hours home. Always 'feisty', she's in the early stages, and I know how much worse it's going to get. I feel like I've lost her already, and I'm terrified, because I know that soon she'll realize, herself, that things aren't right anymore, and the fear she's going to face is very, very hard to watch.
I've also seen it occur earlier and earlier and can't figure it out either. It's so sad.
kentuck
(111,069 posts)It is very good and will probably be nominated for best picture and/or best actress with Julianne Moore.
Omaha Steve
(99,556 posts)Here is another film that deals with dementia. I was an extra for the film. I didn't get in the movie, but I'm in the extras on the disk: http://www.lovelystillthemovie.com/
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1150947/