My appearance in the New York Times

Learning the Unfamiliar Language of Home Care

Jack Webb Dragnet - The Big Departure Speech

Don't Get Lost

Ohio Trip/Memorial Day Weekend

Tom R. and I went to visit Valerie K. and her family for the Memorial Day weekend.  We went to Steak n' Shake on Saturday.  On Sunday we went to Valerie's church and then to Denny's afterwards.  Monday, we went to Wellington, OH for their church's picnic.  We stopped in some antique shops on the way back and drove to Cleveland to say we've been there.  We stopped at Val's mom's house and meet her grandmother "Scotty."  Then we had some pizzas from Little Caesars and watched "The Equalizer." at Val's house.  Her grandma Clarisa came over.  We was able to have a prayer for her grandma because she was having some health concerns being 81.

Alzheimer's and Family Caregivers

Alzheimer's Disease is a chronic neurodegenerative (the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons.) disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time.

AD is usually diagnosed based on the person's medical history, history from relatives and behavioral observations.  Information from medical imaging and computer technology is also studied.  The diagnosis can be confirmed with very high accuracy post-mortem (autopsy) when brain material is available and can be examined.

There are four stages of AD: Pre-dementia, Early, Moderate and Advanced.  For caregivers, each stage requires different levels of care and responsibility.  

https://caregiver.org/alzheimers-disease-caregiving

Family Caregiver Alliance

"Alzheimer's disease is called a family disease, because the chronic stress of watching a loved one slowly decline affects everyone. An effective treatment will address the needs of the entire family. Caregivers must focus on their own needs, take time for their own health and get support and respite from caregiving regularly to be able to sustain their well-being during this caregiving journey. Emotional and practical support, counseling, resource information and educational programs about Alzheimer's disease all help a caregiver provide the best possible care for a loved one."

Wikipedia:

"The role of family caregivers has also become more prominent, as care in the familiar surroundings of home may delay onset of some symptoms and postpone or eliminate the need for more professional and costly levels of care. Home-based care may entail tremendous economic, emotional costs as well. Family caregivers often give up time from work and forego pay in order to spend an average of 47 hours per week with an affected loved one, who frequently cannot be left alone. In a survey of patients with long term care insurance, the direct and indirect costs of caring for an Alzheimer's disease patient averaged $77,500 per year in the United States.[1] Caregivers are themselves subject to increased incidence of depression, anxiety, and, in some cases, physical health issues."

As the disease progresses, caregivers tend to suffer from anticipatory grief, which is the anticipation of their death.

"The Invisible Victims of Alzheimer's Disease: Family Caregivers" by MaryAnne Sterling

http://leadcoalition.org/2013/07/the-invisible-victims-of-alzheimers-disease-family-caregivers

-Many sacrifices: Earnings potential, Financial Burden, Health Challenges

-Psychological Trama, Post Tramatic Stress Disorder

Roles taken on: care coordinators, medical record keepers, medical decision makers, insurance navigators, medication administrators

There is Support:

http://brainmattersresearch.com/about-us/caregivers/

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/caregiving/support-for-alzheimers-and-dementia-caregivers.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marie-marley/5-things-alzheimers-caregivers-shouldnt-do_b_2988424.html

A good information source for family caregivers:

Family Caregiver Alliance

Welcome 2015

I want to start the new year off right.  I really want to be more selfless and not selfish.  I really need to seek God first in all things and really get more and more tight with the Lord.  I'm tired of my old ways, I want to put video games behind me and use that time for God.  I need to get hot on my prayers, prayer list, etc.  I need to get hot on studying my bible more and working on the bible studies God would have me to do.  I really need to keep my spiritual guard up because the devil will try to distract me and set up traps for me.  I need to ask God for deliverance from temptations and to stay pure from sin.  I really want to work on my self.  I need to stay motivated by the things I really want.