The Children of Early Onset Alzheimer's There's something very different about Early Onset Alzheimer's that doesn't get talked about enough. There are often kids still in the house. Not adult children in their 50s helping an 80-year-old parent. I'm talking about: A 7-year-old. A 12-year-old. A teenager.

Keeping a Younger Spouse With Alzheimer’s Busy, Engaged & Useful Here's a question I didn't expect to be asking in my 50s: How do I entertain my husband all day? Seriously. Think about the weird situation Early Onset Alzheimer's creates. Your spouse may be retired years—or decades—before they ever expected to be. But you're still working.

Questions to Answer 💜 What is respite care? Explain that respite is temporary relief for caregivers and can include: In-home caregiver Adult day programs Overnight care Weekend care Memory care stays Emergency respite

Just when I thought I had learned the Four A's of Alzheimer's... Aphasia. Apraxia. Agnosia. Anosognosia. Apparently Alzheimer's said: Hold my beer. Because there are more. A LOT more.

Because when the person you love is terrified, and they know something is wrong with their brain, and they feel like they are losing themselves one day at a time… you listen.

Okay… Let’s talk about the REALLY uncomfortable topic. The one people whisper about in caregiver groups.The one people judge quietly.The one many of us think about long before we ever admit it out loud. 👉 Loneliness 👉 Companionship 👉 Intimacy 👉 What happens to US (the spouse/caregiver) emotionally during all this

I need to tell you about something that happened this week. Not because I'm proud of it. Because I think someone else might need permission to admit they're struggling too. The other day I was overwhelmed. Not just tired. Not just frustrated. Completely emotionally exhausted

Disability Passes & Living Life Anyway One thing I promised myself when Alzheimer's entered our life: 👉 We were not going to stop living. Slow down a little? Sure. Plan more? Absolutely. Need a bathroom every 45 minutes? Apparently. But stop living?

because sometimes your spouse is physically still beside you… but pieces of your marriage are already disappearing. This may be one of the hardest posts I ever write. Because somewhere between: 👉 Stage 4 👉 Stage 5 👉 Burnout 👉 Loneliness 👉 Loss of intimacy 👉 Becoming caregiver instead of partner

😳Then He Thanked Me And then... He thanked me. He fucking thanked me. For staying. For helping him.

Let's talk about the other patient in the room. No. Not your spouse. You. Because in the middle of Alzheimer's, dementia, doctors, medications, insurance forms, caregiving schedules, and trying to keep another human being alive and safe... There is still another spouse in the picture. And that's you.

EOA THIS is a very early conversion with DX, make sure you understand this and have this conversation with your Spouse, Children, their Parents (if applicable) so there are no surpirses later. We did an Advanced Directive we found online that was Demenita Specific

🧠 MINDSET (Start Here) ☐ Remind yourself daily: This is hard, and I’m doing my best ☐ Stop trying to control the disease (you can’t) ☐ Focus on what you can control (you, your reactions, your day) ☐ Accept that grief shows up in different ways

Because this post isn't about Alzheimer's. Not really. It's about grief. The sneaky kind. The kind that jumps out and punches you in the throat while you're standing in line at the grocery store. Not really. It's about grief. The sneaky kind. The kind that jumps out and punches you in the throat while you're standing in line at the grocery store.

One of the hardest parts of this disease for me has been watching language disappear in real time. Not memory first. Not personality first. Words. The inability to find them. The inability to organize them.

There are a few moments in Alzheimer's that change everything. The diagnosis. The first time they get lost. The first time they don't recognize someone. And then... The driving. For us, it happened long before I was emotionally ready.

CAREGIVER ANGER IS REAL Nobody talks enough about this. The rage. The frustration. The resentment. The exhaustion.

When we started looking at memory care in the United States, the numbers were staggering. Many facilities were quoting: $6,000–$8,000/month $8,000–$10,000/month Sometimes much higher depending on care needs and location.

Here’s a practical GUIDE enrollment checklist and here is your "PROMPT to use for your area to do the same" "Tell me about the GUIDE program in (your city and state) explain if your spouse has Medicare or Medicaid and their Diagnosis"

"Shopping" for Memory Care at 40/50??? This is the post nobody wants to write. Because this is the point where: 👉 The future becomes terrifyingly real.