PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — They used to call themselves I Forget, they joked. Until a few forgot the name, and they quickly scrapped it for the Wild Bunch.
The group of Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers love to carry on like teenagers at their monthly potlucks, chuckling at the ironies of memory loss, losing track of how many glasses of wine they’ve had amid the laughs.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes certain changes in the brain that affect memory and thinking. But as we learned from July’s blog (Alzheimer’s & Falling: What’s the Connection?), AD can also increase the likelihood of falling. In fact, a recent study suggests that that falling may be an early indication of AD.
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be difficult and overwhelming. Dealing with repeated questions can be a challenge and disruption throughout the day. Many caregivers are so focused on the tasks of care giving that they do not recognize the losses in their own life.Mama used to travel on vacations with us. The last time we took her with us, it was not pleasant. She wanted to return home immediately after arrival and tried to bribe my children to drive her several hundred miles back home. We surmised that she was attached to her familiar surroundings. We made her stay. She had a good time. However, every day was a struggle to get her to enjoy herself.